Elevation Outdoors July 2018

JAMIE LOGAN’S COURAGE | TUNES FOR THE DRIVE | HIKE THE BELLS JULY 2018

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ADVENTURE MISSION: S E E A L L 5 0 S TAT E S Miles Harvey Is the Future of Paddling GRAND JUNCTION EMBRACES THE OUTDOOR RECREATION ECONOMY J U LY 2 01 8 / E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M

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ATION N I T S E O’S D D A R O COL

P O H S G N I B M I CL

50+

S ES OE HO S H K S C K O ROC R

LIVING THE DREAM

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THE EO LIVE OUTSIDE AND PLAY TEAM SHARES SECRETS FOR WINNING ROAD LIFE. SEE PAGE 23

S ES PE OP RO G R N I G B N MBI LIIM CL C

photo by BEN DAWSON

N E N!!

E E E W T W E T BE NB G IIN NG HIIN

TH RY YT

ER VE EV DE A ND AN

CONTENTS DEPARTMENTS

1 DEN CO 804082 L O G , E V A N O GT 303.271.93 1313 WASHIN

7 EDITOR’S LETTER

In Norway, the mountains are an enduring home.

8 QUICK HITS

WE VE GOT THE NEWEST MODELS.

How to best combine breweries and beer, saying goodbye to Jason Wells and Tim Klein, fun times and good eats in Estes Park, one incredible axe and more...

14 FLASHPOINT

At just 16 years old, Miles Harvey is turning heads and stepping up as the future of the emerging sport of downriver SUP.

17 HOT SPOT

Aspen's Elk Mountains and the Maroon Bells serve up adventure that runs the gamut—from mountaineering to downhill mountain biking.

TRY AND BUY YOURS AT GBS

OUR DEMO PROGRAM HAS 60+ MOUNTAIN BIKES AVAILABLE TO RIDE goldenbikeshop.com | 303.278.6545

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19 NUMEROLOGY We must act to save the Land and Water Conservation Fund..

J U LY 2 0 1 8 21 STRAIGHT TALK

Pioneering climber Jamie Logan tells her story about gender and the crags.

47 HEAR THIS

Take a musical journey to Asbury Park, New Jersey.

48 THE ROAD

One woman undertakes a quest to visit all 50 states before her 30th birthday.

50 ELWAYVILLE

The best thing to do on a road trip can be nothing.

FEATURES 23 LIFE ON THE ROAD

We talked to a wide range of #vanlifers, roadtrippers, dirtbags and professionals to find out what it takes to call the road home.

35 GRAND COUNTY

Outdoor Industry Association reports on how oil and outdoors can coexist on the West Slope.

43 THE BEST CAR CAMPING GEAR

All the swag you need for a cozy camp this summer.

45 THE ECOSEXUAL

Adam Chase goes vegan.

ON THE COVER Boulder-based photographer Eddie Clark waited for just the right light and dealt with the fickle moods of Colorado summer in the mountains to capture this incredible #vanlife image up in the Indian Peaks.

by Eddie Clark / eddieclarkmedia.com

31 THE CONSERVATION ALLIANCE

This is why the non profit is playing defense to win for the wilds.

WANT MORE? CATCH UP ON PAST ISSUES, YOUR FAVORITE BLOGGERS AND DAILY ONLINE CONTENT AT ELEVATIONOUTDOORS.COM

DON’T HATE US BECAUSE WE’RE GEOGRAPHICALLY BLESSED With an abundance of mountains, rivers, lakes and high desert, it’s easy to see why we’re the nexus for Colorado’s great outdoors.

CO N T R I B U TO R S

E DI TOR-I N -CHI E F

DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN

doug@elevationoutdoors.com PRE SI DE N T

07.1 8

WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE PLACE TO PULL OVER DURING A BIG ROAD TRIP?

BLAKE DEMASO

blake@elevationoutdoors.com PUBLI SHE R

CASEY VANDENOEVER

casey@elevationoutdoors.com ART DI RE CTOR

LAUREN WORTH

lauren@elevationoutdoors.com EDITORIAL + PRODUCTION M AN AG I N G E DI TOR

CAMERON MARTINDELL

cameron@elevationoutdoors.com SE N I OR E DI TOR

CHRIS KASSAR

chris@elevationoutdoors.com COPY ASSASSI N

TRACY ROSS

E DI TOR-AT-LARG E

PETER KRAY I N T E RN

SOPHIA ZAYAS ASSOCI AT E CRE AT I VE DI RE CTOR

MEGAN JORDAN

megan@elevationoutdoors.com CON T RI BUT I N G E DI TORS

AARON BIBLE, ADAM CHASE, ROB COPPOLILLO, LIAM DORAN, JAMES DZIEZYNSKI, HUDSON LINDENBERGER, SONYA LOONEY, CHRIS VAN LEUVEN CON T RI BUT I N G WRI T E RS

JIM APPIO, JASON BLEVINS, KATIE BOUÉ, SHAUNA FARNELL, JORDAN MARTINDELL, ELIZABETH MILLER, KRISTEN POPE, HEATHER RIDGE, CHRIS WEIDNER, DEBORAH WILLIAMS, MELANIE WONG ADVERTISING + BUSINESS SE N I OR ACCOUN T E XE CUT I VE

MARTHA EVANS

martha@elevationoutdoors.com ACCOUN T E XE CUT I VE

CONOR SEDMAK

conor@elevationoutdoors.com BUSI N E SS M AN AG E R

MELISSA GESSLER

melissa@elevationoutdoors.com CI RCULAT I ON M AN AG E R

KAITY VANCE

kvance@elevationoutdoors.com DIGITAL MEDIA ON LI N E DI RE CTOR

CRAIG SNODGRASS

craig@elevationoutdoors.com DI G I TAL M AN AG E R

TYRA SUTAK

tyra@elevationoutdoors.com

ELEVATIONOUTDOORS.COM 2510 47th Street Unit 209 Boulder, Colorado 80301 (303) 449-1560 P U B L I S H E D BY ©2018 Summit Publishing, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED SUMMIT

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PUBLISHING

DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN It really doesn’t matter much as long as there’s coffee.

CASEY VANDENOEVER

Any stop with oversized objects/ creatures—from gophers to dinosaurs to rockets—helps distract the kids.

CONOR SEDMAK

Anywhere you can find a light breeze, some Colorado sunshine and a view of the peaks with a front-row seat by the water.

CAMERON MARTINDELL

Public parks—ideally with grass and playgrounds. When traveling with kids, you need stops along the way to run around and stretch the legs. We have a quick-deploy picnic kit for these occasions.

TYRA SUTAK

Local craft breweries!

Not only is it nice to explore what breweries are creating across the country, they are also typically filled with locals eager to share insider info.

KATIE BOUÉ

Any roadside farmers’ market stand. Pick your own apples down a North Carolina country road? Yes, please.

Freshly cracked coconuts along the coast in Mexico? Vamos!

ELIZABETH MILLER

All roads seem to lead past K's in Buena Vista. After hiking a Fourteener, it’s as good an excuse as any for a malt and some French fries.

PETER KRAY

We spend a lot of time driving north and south between Denver and Santa Fe and love to stop at the Salida River park.

JASON BLEVINS I travel with my wife and two daughters: I pull over wherever I'm told.

E D I TO R ' S L E T T E R

07.1 8

BORN TO BE WILD

The Norwegians understand how to take full advantage of a life lived within the splendor of the wild. We should take note.

by DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN

F

or the past few years, I have been invloved in the Scandinavian Summits program.

The brainchild of Matthias Aßmann, the co-founder, along with Martin Kössler, of the Scandinavian Outdoor Group. The program encourages hikers to stand atop the high points of Norway (Galdhøpiggen, 8,100 feet), Sweden (Kebnekaise, 6,882 feet), Denmark (Møllehøj, 561 feet), Finland (Halti, 4,344 feet), and Iceland (Hvannadalshnjúkur, 6,920 feet).

Technically, only the first three are "Scandinavian,” so all five can also be referred to as the “Nordic High Five.

Those who finish all the summits get a nifty diploma.

“The concept is aspirational,” says Aßmann, who currently runs Mandel Consulting and lives in Sweden. “Any individual can study and plan the trips with the guidance of the website scandinaviansummits.com and with the help of a growing social media community. It’s connected to initiatives such as the European Outdoor Group’s #itsgreatoutthere and helps to get people out in nature pursing goals.

It will also create partnerships with travel destinations, tour operators, and retailers to educate and outfit lots of new hikers.”

It’s a concept those of us in North America should pay close attention to, not only to emulate, but also because Scandinavia has so much gravity right

HEIR TO THE KINGDOM ÅSMUND SULHEIM, 19, A GUIDE IN NORWAY'S JOTUNHEIMEN NATIONAL PARK SHOWS GUESTS THE SVELLNOSBREEN GLACIER. photo by DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN

now. While many European brands come and go in the North American market, failing to gain traction with consumers here, Scandianvian companies have found a welcome spot with outdoor types—from Helly Hansen to Suunto to Ecco, they have become just as much everyday household names as American brands.

That Scandinavian look fits right in with Millenial sensibilities.

Colleagues at W.L. Gore, Aßmann and Kössler founded the Scandinavian Outdoor Group in 2000 to strengthen relationships with Nordic brands between outdoor retailers and media in markets beyond the region. It now includes over 60 Nordic companies.

“It’s a huge plus to have Scandinavia itself as a brand. It’s a little like U.S. brands taking pride in claiming a Colorado or California heritage,” says Aßmann.

After knocking off Hvannadalshnjúkur and Halti along with Aßmann and a group of travelers and journalists from across the globe, we set our sights on Galdhøpiggen this past May. And we wre surprised to learn that Norway's highpoint differs from what you might expect. The snow-covered peak that's sheltered deep in the glacier-covered wilds of Jotunheimen National Park is more of a community gathering place than a challenge. Sure, it's a stiff hike, but it's one most Norwegians feel they have to take. And, it is Europe so there's even a hut serving food on the summit. Norwegians, it seems, see their highest peaks as an essential part of their daily life.

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QUICK HITS

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THE BIG 50 ROAD TRIP

Celebrate wild places with a road trip that takes in gems that have been protected thanks to longstanding public lands legislation.

THIS YEAR IS THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY

of both the Wild & Scenic Rivers Act and the National Trails System Act. These important pieces of legislation protect the places people love to play outside. The Wild & Scenic Rivers Act protects 12,734 miles of free-flowing waterways, and the National Trails System Act established scenic, historic, and recreational trail systems across the country.

This epic roadtrip highlights the best of the region, including Wild & Scenic Rivers you can raft, a National Trails System gem to hike, and favorite breweries to enjoy a pint.

RAISE A GLASS A COLD BREW FROM SNAKE RIVER IS THE PERFECT END TO AN ADVENTURE. photo courtesy SNAKE RIVER BREWING

CHOOSE YOUR UPGRADE Need a new rig for roadtripping?

Check these options.

POP-UP CAMPER

1) RAFT THE CACHE LA POUDRE RIVER, COLORADO

Just 76 miles of Colorado’s waterways are protected by the Wild & Scenic Rivers Act, and all of those are part of the Cache la Poudre River. This section, located north of Rocky Mountain National Park, boasts rapids ranging from Class I to Class VI. Class VI is ginormous. Hire a guide.

The Poudre goes right through Fort Collins, with Odell Brewing and New Belgium Brewing located just down the street from the river.

2) HIKE THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE TRAIL, COLORADO

Over 800 miles of the Continental Divide Trail are located in the Centennial State alone, offering plentiful options for exploration along with numerous access points.

A number of CDT routes go right through Rocky Mountain National Park, which offers CDT hikes ranging from a long, arduous loop to a short lakeside stroll. When in nearby Estes

Park, pop into Estes Park Brewery which opened in 1994.

3) RAFT THE SNAKE RIVER HEADWATERS, WYOMING

Over 400 miles of the Snake River Headwaters are protected, including headwaters and tributaries ranging from tranquil currents to raging torrents of whitewater. Numerous Jackson Hole outfitters provide ways to get out on the water. Pick a scenic flatwater float to spot wildlife; or sign up for an whitewater adventure to scare yourself high. Once you’ve had your fill, check out Jackson Hole’s collection of microbreweries, including Snake River Brewing or the new Stillwest Brewery scheduled to open this summer.

—Kristen Pope For more adventure possibilities, check out other Wild & Scenic Rivers (rivers. gov/wsr50) and the National Trails Systems (trails50.org/national-trails).

TECHNOLOGY SOMEWEAR SATELLITE MESSENGER This small, lightweight, robust device connects your smartphone to Iridium satellites, allowing for two-way text messaging, SOS alerts and weather updates from any remote location on the planet. $450 | SOMEWEARLABS.COM

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Pros: Drop, pop, and start living with this detachable trailer camper that frees your vehicle for trailhead shuttles and beer runs. They’re small and light: Gas efficient.

Cons: Contrary to the name, pop-ups don’t just “pop” up, but require a good 20 minutes of cranking, zipping, and snapping. Best for trips that include several-day stays.

Drive Away: The Forest River Extreme Sports Package. Prices for newer models start at $13,500.

PULL-BEHIND TRAILER

Pros: If you’re looking for the shortest set-up and take down, these are a comfortable choice. Like the pop-tops, you can unhitch with ease, but won’t have to spend more than a couple of minutes making it habitable. There’s a wide range of styles and prices, from small teardrops towable by cars, to, mid-size travel trailers and massive fifth-wheel homes.

Cons: Your options will depend on the ability of your vehicle to pull. Larger

models with plumbing seem like a great choice until you’re chugging up a steep hill. Teardrops usually have the kitchen on the outside. Backing up on a narrow road to your supersecret campsite looks easy, until you try to do it with everyone watching.

Drive Away: Boulder-based Colorado Teardrops Basedrop starts at $11,300; New fifth-wheels can start as low $30,000.

ROOFTOP TENT

Pros: Rooftop tents are having a big moment now, thanks to their versatility. They can attach to the top of most cars and the view from atop can’t be beat. Camping up high is great for cross breezes. Variations include full-tent styles from Tepui and the compact hard-case from Roofnest.

Cons: While it’s nice to be able to take this off and store it, you might need some help. Even the lightest models weigh around 110 pounds, making it tough to take on and off alone.

It’s also a bit of a scramble up and down when you wake up in the night needing to pee.

Drive Away: Tepui Kukenam Sky Tent starts at $1,425; Boulder based Roofnest Sparrow starts at $2,200.

VAN

Pros: A far cry from the creepy,

GEAR WE LOVE

BOOKS

RHEOS EDDIES

BACKPACKING 101

Providing lots of visual pop and clarity thanks to polarized polycarbonate these lightweight shades are mandatory for a sunintensive river trip. Don’t worry if they go in the drink—they float. $50 | RHEOSGEAR.COM

Keen to spend nights in the woods but unsure how to start?

Backpacking expert Heather Rochfort gives you tips even an expert will appreciate, from how to plan meals to how to handle getting lost. $17 | SIMONANDSCHUSTER.COM

LAT

conversion van down by the river, custom camping vans like Sprinters and Sportsmobiles have become popular options with a range of choices. Self-contained, a van lets you clandestinely camp or boondock almost anywhere.

Everything is within reach, and the headroom allows for bikes storage inside.

Cons: Unlike the other options, you can unhitch and leave behind for day trips—, it all goes where you go. Initial investment is high so it’s worth calculating how many days a year you plan to spend on the move and take a few for a test drive before jumping on the vanwagon.

Drive Away: ModVans CV1 starts at $85,000. Got cash to burn?

The Merceded based Airstream Interstate Lounge starts at $166,000.

—Heather Ridge

THE OUTER LIMITS

The Outerbike Festival returns to Crested Butte this August MILES OF FLOWING SINGLETRACK,

endless fields of wildflowers and crisp summer skies in the high Rockies—just add mountain bikes, and you’ve got all the ingredients for an epic Colorado bike festival. Returning for its second year from Aug. 17-19, the Crested Butte

47.9539° N

LONG

123.2593° W

SUMMER TASTES SO GOOD SO GET OUT AND ENJOY IT BY ADDING A TEPUI ROOFTOP TENT TO YOUR RIG (TOP), OR BY EMBRACING ALL THE TWO-WHEEL FUN AND WILDFLOWERS OF CRESTED BUTTE DURING OUTERBIKE (BOTTOM).

Our O FIT Insole™ adds the unmatched

photos by CAMERON MARTINDELL (top), BEN HENSON (bottom)

the trail may lead. ObozFootwear.com

fit, feel and performance for wherever

Outerbike Festival will bring demo bikes from nearly every major bike company to ride on lift-served and cross-country trails followed by after parties and a beer tent to rehydrate after all that riding.

Outerbike holds several other festivals throughout the year, including two events in Moab and a new location in Bentonville, Arkansas. Still, the Crested Butte edition is uniquely Colorado, enveloping all of the town’s bike-friendliness, high-alpine riding and laid-back vibe. The inaugural 2017 event featured more than 1,200 bikes, with the 2018 event promising an even bigger selection and more shuttle options for riders who want to sample the area’s famous trails.

The full demo ticket includes three days of unlimited bike demos, shuttles and lift tickets to Crested Butte Mountain’s Evolution Bike Park. Outerbike is perfect for anyone looking for a fun biking weekend, or for riders shopping for that new whip. Find out more and buy tickets at outerbike.com.

—Melanie Wong J U LY 2 01 8 / E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M

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ESTES PARK

From massive views to modern eateries, Colorado’s nationalpark-poster-child town may just surprise you.

DROPPING DOWN INTO ESTES PARK ON

approach from Route 36 will send most drivers into a tizzy—the views are that gobsmacking. Surrounded on three sides by Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park is one of the most unique and easiest-to-access towns for National Park Adventures.

EAT Grab a morning cup at Kind Coffee or Inkwell & Brew—Estes’ most hipster coffee shops. Fuel up before a day of adventure at Mountain Home Cafe for classic diner fare or head to Notchtop Bakery and Cafe where the french toast sandwiches and belgian waffles pair beautifully with creative breakfast cocktails. Grab something sweet at Cinnamon’s Bakery, Donut Haus, or Estes Park Pie Shop. Enjoy tacos and margs at Ed’s Cantina and elk burgers at Penelope’s on Estes’ main street. For dinner, Bird & Jim (one of Estes’ newest restaurants) serves rustic mountain dining in an ingredient driven kitchen. Here, charcuterie trays, wild game meatloaf, and a variety of tasty starters will please even the most finicky palates.

SLEEP Because Estes has been ushering visitors to Rocky Mountain National Park’s door step since the early 1900’s, there are plenty of options for lodging. With its iconic old-timey feel, The Stanley Hotel is a building from the past with a welcoming attitude for modern day travelers. From their pop-up restaurant (called Table: A Culinary Journey and featuring local Colorado Chefs) to their weekly concert and event series “Stanley Live,” The Stanley has embraced the modern world with its contemporary offering. If cabin life is more your speed, check out Streamside on Fall River. With one- and two- bedroom cabins as well as studio cabins and a motel, Streamside’s diverse lodging options are perfect if you want to dine in, relax in a private hot tub or watch moose and elk along the river over morning coffee.

PLAY The star of any Estes vacation is Rocky Mountain National Park.

With over 350 miles of trails over 450 square miles, it has stunning drive-access vistas for beginners all the way up to backcountry adventurers for those seeking the extreme. Guided or unguided hiking, birding, biking, rock

Preferred Seating

NATURAL PLAYGROUND WITH EASY ACCESS TO LAKES AND PEAKS, ESTES PARK MAKES FOR THE IDEAL SPOT TO GET KIDS HOOKED ON THE OUTDOOS. photo by DARREN EDWARDS

climbing, fishing, and horseback riding can all be done in this majestic park. If you are into rock climbing, check out Estes’ Performance Park. This outdoor amphitheater gets its echoing acoustics from the faceted rock wall backdrop. Once local climbers

recognized its potential and the town gave it a go, the Performance Park became a stunning in-town climbing destination. Hire one of the exceptional guides at Estes Park Mountain Shop and try your hand at cracks and crags. For families, the National Park Junior Ranger Program will keep your little ones perfectly distracted by sights, sounds, and colors, allowing family adventures to last that much longer.

—Jordan Martindell

GET READY FOR MUD

THE ADVENTURE MUD RUN IS COMING

JULY 28, 2018

GALLUP, NM @ GALLUP OHV/MX PARK

ARE YOU READY? SIGN UP YOURSELF OR WITH A TEAM TODAY! True North Treks

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GALLUPMUDRUN.COM

REMEMBERING JASON WELLS AND TIM KLEIN

Yosemite speed climbers who brought passion to the sport before their tragic death in the park last month.

ON SATURDAY MORNING, JUNE 2,

spectators kept their binoculars pointed toward the Nose route on El Capitan in Yosemite, California, hoping to witness speed-climbing history made on the famed 2,900foot formation. But a record wasn’t completed that day. Instead, tragedy struck on the nearby Salathé Wall route, when Tim Klein and Jason Wells fell to their deaths while simulclimbing and roped together. The third member of their team, Kevin Prince— climbing on a separate rope—was unharmed.

Klein and Wells were one-third up their route on the Big Stone and well on their way to making a oneday ascent, traveling quickly and efficiently as they had done for years.

Then something happened to cause one partner to fall and subsequently pulling the other off. Their rope severed during the fall and they both plummeted 1,000 feet to the ground.

Klein, 42, was a father of two boys, husband to Tamura Klein and teacher at Palmdale High School in California.

IN THEIR ELEMENT WELLS AND KLEIN ON THE NOSE IN 2017. photo by GREG MURPHY

“It’s so devastating to lose him. I can’t tell you how much I loved Tim,” Wayne Willoughby, his climbing partner for a one-day ascent of El Capitan in 2016, told EO. Wells, 45, married to Becky Wells, was a father to a girl from a previous marriage and worked as an investment manager at Granite View Asset Management in Boulder, Colorado.

He also holds the speed record for Colorado’s most famous climb, 650foot The Naked Edge, which he and Stefan Griebel ascended, bridge to bridge, in 24:29. “He would fly out to Yosemite and bang out two El Cap routes and fly back in a weekend.

Nobody does that,” says Brady Robinson, a close friend of Wells and former Executive Director of the Access Fund. “He was unstoppable, a force.

“We're humans we need each other,” says Robinson. “And when we're sad we need each other that much more. One of the best things you can do when someone dies is to spend time with people who were close to them and to honor them, and honor them in our sadness.”

The Park Service is still investigating the exact cause of the deadly accident.

—Chris Van Leuven

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BUILDING A LEGACY SMITH'S EARTHWORKS PROGRAM ENCOURAGES TEACHERS TO ASK QUESTIONS. photo by HEATHER RIDGE

LOCAL HERO: LESLEY SMITH

This scientist and educator has spent her career championing environmental education.

RECENTLY RETIRED AS THE Associate

Director of Education and Outreach at CIRES (Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Science), local limnologist Lesley Smith remains

a devoted advocate of scientific inquiry in the exploration of natural places. Along the way she has been a fierce advocate for conservation of those wild spots.

Smith began her work in the research of wetlands, both in the tropics of the Amazon and the alpine areas around Colorado. As an outreach scientist, she made it her goal to share not just the research, but the research process with students and teachers through innovative programs

like EarthWorks, which brought teachers from around the country to Colorado in the summer to design, implement and share their own research question.

“I really liked working with teachers and getting them to teach inquiry-based science,” says Smith. “It’s the best way to develop critical thinking skills.”

Other programs, such as Lens on Climate Change, challenged students to interview scientists, review data, and create a film that highlights a specific aspect of a changing climate.

“I think we’re seeing more and more now that scientists are getting push-back. We can’t just live in our little bubble and expect government to fund research.

We should be able to get out of our bubble and explain to people what we do and why it’s important and that science is critical to our community and society.”

Lesley Smith is currently running for the office of CU Regent At Large.

—Heather Ridge

CAR-CAMPING KITCHEN HACKS

Need to channel your inner mobile foodie? Follow these tips to elevate your mobile kitchen.

TUBS

Create a large tub to serve as your “kitchen” with all non-cooler items.

Label four medium-sized bins that stack inside breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. You’ll always know where to find your teabags or mustard without having to dig. Plus, lids double as plates.

TORTILLAS

Flat, functional and appropriate for every meal, tortillas are tasty as breakfast burritos or a quick “crepe” in the morning, wraps in the afternoon and a number of Mexican meals come nighttime. They’re also a great way to mop up a plate.

TO-GO BOTTLES

Transfer all liquids into reusable bottles. In the cooler, you won’t have to worry about spillage or squishy cartons and you’ll maximize space.

Keep cracked eggs in one for a pourable morning scramble to go with your tortillas.

—Heather Ridge

Pikes Peak Highway

Request your FREE Visitors Guide at VisitCOS.com

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Available at these authorized retailers: Mountain Khakis Flagship Store 1412 Larimer Square Denver, CO (303) 505-1566 Neptune Mountaineering Boulder, CO

Vital Outdoors Golden, CO

(303) 499-8866

(303) 215-1644

Jax Outdoor Gear Fort Collins (970) 221-0544 Loveland (970) 776-4540 Lafayette (720) 266-6160

FLASHPOINT

07.1 8

SUP SENSATION At the age of 16, Miles Harvey represents the future of the sport of stand-up paddleboarding.

by JASON BLEVINS

W

hen Miles Harvey was barely walking, he would toddle up to his dad and point to the rocks. His dad would wedge him into his kayak’s cockpit—despite a bit of chagrin from mom—and they would catch eddies in his hometown river park.

“He would say ‘Behind the rocks. Behind the rocks!.”

Yeah, it kinda drove his mom crazy, but ever since then, man, he’s been totally focused on the river,” says Mike Harvey, the stand-up paddleboard designer and riverpark builder whose passion for whitewater has sparked a

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phenom in the fledgling but surging sport of stand-up river paddling.

At 16, Miles is the future of river SUP. There is no Pop Warner when it comes to river play so Miles has spent the past six years stand-up paddling with, and competing against, men 20 years older.

“He had a rough-and-tumble start and just got thrown into it didn’t he?” says Mike Tavares, one of the top three river paddlers in the world who Miles counts as both a role model and a best pal. (Mike T considers Miles an inspiration and close friend as well.) “He’s just the poster child of paddling—he has grown up around the sport and had all of us as role models. We have been teaching him along the way.”

COMING ON STRONG

Miles has spent his adolescence chasing the heroes of SUP. Now, he finds himself joining them on

READY TO GO PRO? SUP SAVANT MILES HARVEY IMPRESSED THE COMPETITION AND THE CROWD AT THE 2018 GO PRO MOUNTAIN GAMES IN VAIL THIS SUMMER. THE 16 YEAR OLD CAME IN EIGHTH IN THE DEMANDING DOWNRIVER SUP EVENT. A WEEK LATER, HE TOOK THIRD IN THE TWO-EVENT SUP STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS ON HIS HOME WATER AT SALIDA’S FIBARK FESTIVAL. photo courtesy RICK LOHRE / VAIL VALLEY FOUNDATION

podiums and expert-only missions. A year ago, he was a soggy wetsuit away from 100 pounds. Today, thanks to a year with a trainer in his hometown of Salida, he’s closer to 150 pounds. The fleet-footed wunderkind has become a contender.

But don’t think stand-up paddling is some cutthroat pursuit. Sure there are contests, but playing in the river is not inherently competitive. It’s expressive, creative and

tremendously rewarding without any accolades. Miles gets that. He’s didn’t hit the weights and gym this year to win as much as excel.

“I’m stronger and I can hang with these bigger guys now so, the downriver stuff, it’s getting to be more fun for me,” he says.

Miles impressed at his fifth Go Pro Mountain Games in June. He finished eighth in the downriver SUP Sprint, a grueling push through shallow whitewater where he bested more than 45 other racers, including his dad. In the more strategic SUP Surf Cross race, he battled through a dozen heats to finish in the top six.

It’s helped that his dad is the co-founder of Badfish SUP, the Salida-based designer of river boards that counts Miles as its youngest of more than 20 sponsored athletes. And Mike Harvey, a kayaking and stand-up-paddling engineer, built the Salida whitewater park, where his son still spends most of his summer days. He was kayaking in his own boat at age 4. He ran the FIBArk downriver race at age 6, guarded by Olympians and world champions like Scott Shipley and Clay Wright who volunteered to shepherd the paddling polymath.

In 2012, Miles found himself possessed by standup surfing in the waves his dad built on the river in downtown Salida. Zach Hughes, the other half of Badfish, would spend hours at the hole with his business partner’s son, carefully watching how the pint-sized ripper navigated the whitewater. Hughes, a kayaker, surfer and board shaper, built several prototypes to keep Miles shredding. Miles is still influencing Badfish's line-up of boards.

“Zach stands on the bank and gets all these ideas, just watching Miles,” Mike says. “For Zach, it’s important to have someone like Miles because Miles is always wanting to learn new stuff, which provides Zach a platform for creating new boards.”

A few years ago, Hawaiian waterman Kai Lenny

competed in the GoPro Mountain Games. Miles watched his every move. Within a day, he was mimicking the legendary ocean surfer’s footwork, sculpting his own style in the river.

“I’ve never known anyone who can visually learn something as quick as he does. Even when he was little, he’d see some heavyweight, like Dan Gavere, doing

He can just watch people and transfer it over almost instantly. The visual-to-physical connection seems to work really well for him. something in a video on YouTube or something and then he’d be doing it in the whitewater park the next day,” Mike says. “He can just watch people and transfer it over almost instantly. The visual-to-physical connection seems to work really well for him.”

Miles, who will be a sophomore at Salida High next year, is an eager pupil on the river. But academically, he has to work harder than his peers. A couple years ago, tests identified some learning difficulties and he’s spent the past two school years working with a tutor and studying online, learning new strategies to overcome those challenges. Those strategies boiled up from his hard work in the river.

THE NEXT GENERATION

Today, Miles pedals his bike and surfboard down to the Salida wave twice a day for surf sessions that draw crowds. Many of those watchers are younger kids who aspire to be the next Miles Harvey. He welcomes that

responsibility. “I don’t want to sound cocky, but I hope I’ve helped with the river surfing scene,” Miles says. “It’s what I’ve spent most of my time doing, trying to spend time innovating tricks and really I love helping kids learn new stuff.”

When Miles and his sister were very young, Mike asked kayaking icon Eric Jackson for tips on raising kids who share their parents’ passion for the river. It’s a question countless of mountain athletes have asked as they nurture the next generation of rippers. Jackson, whose son Dane and daughter Emily are worldchampion kayakers, advised Mike to simply let his kids come to the sport on their own.

“My analogy is the dedicated hunter dude. His kids aren’t going to one day say ‘Dad I’m going to play soccer,’” Jackson says, as he prepared to compete against Miles in the GoPro Mountain Games SUP Surf Cross contest. “It’s so fun watching Miles, not just because he has awesome skills but because he’s just so happy to be on the water. He’s always having fun. He’s got a lot of confidence but he doesn’t need to win to show how good he is. It’s just evident in his paddling.”

Miles hopes to work more on his photography and video talents, helping to showcase the growing sport of SUP for more people. He travels the world with some of stand-up-paddling’s top athletes, paddling alongside them and watching them with plans to expose the thrills and excitement of river SUP to the masses.

“He is growing the sport in his own way. When I think of the legacy of what we leave as paddlers, it’s about enabling people like Miles to pass it on to the next generation,” says Tavares, a fellow Team Badfish athlete who won the GoPro Mountain Games SUP Sprint and finished third in the cross contest. “Kids are already looking up to him and he is helping to create and evolve the culture and sport of the mountains. Always smiling, ripping hard and having fun. That positive energy and his focus and determination, it’s just amazing.”

Photo Devon Balet

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15

FUEL FOR EVERY DAY

BEFORE. DURING. AFTER.

SUMMER2018

YOGA AT A-BASIN

FRIDAYS AND SUNDAYS 11:00am–12:00pm, June 29–September 2

CHAIRLIFT RIDES SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS 11:00am–3:00pm, June 30–September 2

CONCERTS SATURDAYS 1:00pm–4:00pm

JUNE

30 Euforquestra

JULY 7 14 21 28

Maybe April Local Jam Band Day Adam Ezra Group All Our Exes Are From Texas

AUGUST

4 Miles Nielsen & The Rusted Hearts 11 Grant Farm 25 Pandas & People

SEPTEMBER

1 Drunken Hearts

ARAPAHOEBASIN.COM/EVENTS 16

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A-Basin Trail Runs July 8 and 22

Yoga On The Mountain July 19 and August 9

Disc Golf Tournament August 4 and 5

Cirque Series Trail Run August 18

Oktoberfest September 15

Lunch at 6th Alley Bar & Grill Friday–Monday, 11:00am–4:00pm June 29–September 16

Shopping at Arapahoe Sports Friday–Monday, 9:00am–5:00pm June 29–September 16

H OT S P OT

07.1 8

THE ELKS CLUB Aspen’s surrounding mountains are a playground for core and casual adventurers alike. Here’s how to best enjoy the Elk Mountains (and maybe get a shot of adrenaline) by foot, bike and air.

by CHRIS KASSAR

P

erched at 8,000 feet above sea level at the head of the Roaring Fork Valley, Aspen—Colorado’s famed tromping ground for fur-clad fashionistas, devotees of Hunter S. Thompson, thrill-seekers and dedicated local rippers—lies within perfect striking distance for a mid-summer road trip from the Front Range. Nestled in the heart of the Elk Mountains and home to seven fourteeners, a raging river, and countless trails, the supposedly hoity-toity mountain enclave offers endless possibilities for exploration.

CLIMB

Alpinists can head to the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness and the classic Maroon Ridge. This mountaineering route tackles two peaks, 14,156foot Maroon and 14,012-foot North Maroon, and the airy, exhilarating (and often very loose) traverse between them. Beginning and ending at Maroon Lake, the most photographed spot in Colorado due to its iconic view of the Bells, the route pushes climbers physically and mentally, with route-finding challenges, white-knuckle exposure, and dicey scrambles over crumbling rock.

If you stay on route, the climbing ranges from class 4 to 5.7 and it’s packed with thrilling features‚including an airy dihedral with a big-fall risk and a 45-foot tower with extreme exposure but surprisingly solid rock. There's also a divided chimney that offers two options: a shorter 5.7 line that requires navigating an overhanging boulder and reachy stem moves, or a longer, easier 5.4 route up a 45-foot crack. On route, you’ll experience unrelenting steep ascents and descents on loose terrain. You also won’t see too many other people and most likely have the breathtaking views of the Elks’ chiseled summits—including Snowmass Mountain (14,092 feet), Capitol Peak (14,131 feet), and Pyramid Peak (14,018 feet)—all to yourself.

GO GUIDED: During a long day in the mountains (like this one!), moving efficiently is key to achieving goals, having fun and staying safe. You can leave the navigation, route finding and technical aspects to the pros so you can enjoy the exploit. Aspen Alpine Guides (aspenalpine.com) has been leading mountain adventures since 1987 and each guide is encouraging, accomplished, certified, passionate and able to tailor any expedition to your skills and needs.

Be safe, smart and aware: Eleven people died on Colorado’s highest peaks last summer, including seven on fourteeners near Aspen. Motivated to stop this trend and change the mindset that these are simple hikes instead of climbs requiring preparation, technical skills and mountain sense, five different entities—USFS, Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office, Mountain Rescue Aspen (MRA), Aspen Expeditions International, and Aspen Alpine Guides—have joined forces to develop a comprehensive education program that includes presentations at locations on the Front Range and hands-on clinics in the peaks

around Aspen. You can find dates and more info about the program at aspenalpineguides.com. MRA also runs its own workshops: mountainrescueaspen. org/summer-workshop/.

RIDE

The Snowmass Bike Park (aspensnowmass.com/ plan-your-stay/biking/bike-snowmass), which is in the midst of a multi-year expansion that will add nine new trails ranging from beginner to expert, currently offers a 14-mile network of ripping, liftserved, purpose-built downhill singletrack. Snaking from the top of the Elk Camp chairlift to the bottom of Snowmass Base Village, the park, which has something for everyone, dishes out 3,000 feet of descent. Novice riders will enjoy Verde, a flowy green run ideal for gaining fundamentals, confidence and comfortability. Advanced adrenaline junkies can get their fix on the gravity-defying Valhalla, a smooth line that cruises through giant berms and up and over jumps, and Animal Crackers, a technical trail opened in 2017 that features steep climbs and descents, tight twists and fun off-camber sections. Once you fill your need for speed, switch bikes and explore the 50-plus miles of cross-country trails snaking through Snowmass and the surrounding area.

GO GUIDED: Run by coaches looking to teach riders new to downhill mountain biking, the three-hour Park Ready Clinic gives you the ABCs (active stance, braking and cornering) of the sport. It’s offered daily starting June 22 through September 3, 9:30 a.m.

DOWNTIME Even the biggest adrenaline addict needs to take some time to rest and refuel (while others may actually prioritize gastronomic pleasures). Hit up our favorite relaxation spots.

L’HOSTARIA: Carbo load at this welcoming Italian restaurant that boasts a fantastic bar menu, scrumptious house-made pasta (we suggest you try the meltin-your-mouth gnocchi), patio seating and a wine list that spans the globe. hostaria.com

to 12:30 p.m. and costs $50. Or, take a private lesson, which can be personalized to your experience level and goals, with a mountain bike pro. These lessons are offered daily with a reservation and cost from $105 for one hour to $500 for a full day.

FLY

SUMMER SHRED THE SNOWMASS BIKE PARK WILL BE OPENING NEW TRAILS AND FEATURES THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER. RIDING THE LIFTS IS NOT A BAD DEAL: SINGLE-DAY PASSES COST $44 AND THREE DAY LIFT TICKETS RUN $114. NO BIKE? NO PROBLEM. A RENTAL PACKAGE WITH A SINGLEDAY TICKET RINGS UP AT A REASONABLE $114. photo courtesy ASPEN SKIING

Soar like an eagle on COMPNAY a tandem paragliding escapade with Aspen Paragliding (aspenparagliding.com), where you and a pilot certified by the USHPA (U.S. Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association) launch off Aspen Mountain, one of the few resorts in the country that allows visitors to float high over its slopes. Pilots will catch thermals, utilize air currents and maneuver so that you swoop, glide and spin thousands of feet above Earth. While sailing across the sky enjoying mountain views like never before, it’s not uncommon to reach altitudes up to 18,000 feet.

GO GUIDED: Aspen Paragliding offers a full range of courses, services and clinics. Tandem paragliding costs $295 per person. If you get hooked, they offer a private training program so you can learn to fly on your own.

THE LIMELIGHT HOTEL: At this adventure basecamp, you can grab a solid night’s sleep, fuel up on the breakfast buffet, or cool off with a refreshing post-adventure cocktail—we recommend the new Limelight Frojito (frozen mojito)—during happy hour. limelighthotels.com THE LITTLE NELL: Not only is this fancy but unpretentious hotel and dining spot located right at the bottom of the lifts in the middle of Aspen, it also offers a wide range of events and outdoor programs all season long. Sign up for the

Ride and Dine ($150 per person), on July 19 and again on August 9.

This event combines a bike ride that starts at the hotel and ends up in the Ashcroft Valley with an al fresco dinner in the woods at Toklat. thelittlenell.com SNOWMASS FREE CONCERT SERIES: Every Thursday in the summer, you can chill out and enjoy one of our favorite community events: free live music concerts on the ski slope. Enjoy the welcoming vibe when tons of folks come together to picnic and dance. bit.ly/2kOV7dX

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Renew Your Spirit

e

SUMMER IS HERE

We think July is the month that gave Colorful Colorado its name. The Rocky Mountain wildflowers are in full bloom, the sky is blue and we’re working hard to see as much of it as possible. We’ve finally got our hiking legs back and our lungs have forgiven us for making them work so hard at high altitude. The snow is gone (for the most part) and the highest reaches of Colorado’s crags look like a scene out of “The Sound of Music.” Let’s go enjoy it.

JULY 2018

4 seasons to recharge.

41 state parks to discover.

700 miles of trails to hike.

225,000 acres to explore.

2018 ROAD TOUR J U LY 2 0 1 8 E V E N T S

| FIND US HERE!

JUL 6-8

C O P P E R M O U N TA I N M U S I C F E S T I VA L

C O P P E R M O U N TA I N , C O

JUL 28

A P R E S DAY W I T H U P S LO P E

BOULDER, CO

G E A R W E ’ R E LO V I N G

LEKI MICRO VARIO CARBON BLACK SERIES These sleek trekking poles give you the feel of driving a sports car. Made out of 100-percent carbon, they weigh in at just 8.4 ounces, making them some of the lightest—and strongest—poles on the market. Perfect for steep ascents, trail running or tours—they assemble or pack down in a second, making them easy to stash in your pack. $220

State Forest State Park

UCO SITKA LED LANTERN If we’re going to carry something in the limited space in our van, we want it to be versatile. With 500 lumens and an extension arm that elevates the light above our heads, the Sitka LED Lantern is ideal for cooking and getting work done in the van or at our campsite. It also features a USB-out function, so we can charge up electronics after a busy day. $70–$90 MOUNTAIN HOUSE #10 CAN PASTA PRIMAVERA Mountain House’s #10 Cans dish out yummy, lightweight, freezedried foods in a bulk-serving container. The hearty pasta primavera is perfect for a group gathered around a campfire.

Just add hot water and wait eight to 10 minutes. $32

Visit or make a reservation at a Colorado state park today!

cpw.state.co.us/discover

18

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EST. 71

1-800-244-5613

N U M E R O LO GY

07.1 8

THE TOP PRIORITY

Here are the bare facts on the most important piece of conservation legislation (and one of the most endangered) in the country—this is why we must make sure the LCWF continues to flourish.

BLOWING IN THE WIND COLORADO'S GREAT SAND DUNES NATIONAL PARK HAS BENEFITED AND CAN CONTINUE TO BENEFIT FROM LWCF AS LONG AS CONGRESS DOES NOT LET IT EXPIRE.

by DEBORAH WILLIAMS / OUTDOOR INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION

T

he Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) is America’s single-most important legislation for funding the nation’s public spaces, from local greenways to our iconic national parks. Your kids’ favorite neighborhood playground, the bike trail you ride to work and the dock from which you launch your favorite watercraft are—quite likely funded in part or in whole—by LWCF funds. Outdoorists like us are the beneficiaries of these conservation dollars, but LWCF investments are at risk. Here’s what you need to know and what you can do to protect LWCF. 1 9 62 The year President John F. Kennedy sent a letter to Congress responding to draft legislation that would eventually become the Land and Water Conservation Fund. In the letter he wrote: “Actions deferred are all too often opportunities lost, particularly in safeguarding our natural resources.” The proposed funding mechanism was Kennedy’s attempt to balance domestic offshore oil drilling along the outer continental shelf with an investment opportunity that he believed would help America realize the true potential of “parks, forests and wildlife refuges which were acquired decades [prior] by the great conservationists.” The year after Kennedy’s assassination, Congress passed LWCF with bipartisan support, and President Lyndon Johnson signed it into law. lwcfcoalition.org $30 billion The combined annual revenue of U.S. energy companies that extract oil and gas via offshore drilling leases. The terms of those leases stipulate that royalties from those profits must be invested in conservation projects around the country.

3% The rough percentage of profits that energy companies are required to pay into LWCF each year. $900 million Amount of annual LWCF investments that are intended to support conservation of national parks, rivers and lakes, national forests, national wildlife refuges, state and local parks, recreation areas, working forests, wildlife habitat, drinking water supplies and wildlife habitat.

photo courtesy GIANT GINKGO, FLICKR / THE WILDERNESS SOCIETY

100 Days left (as of June 20) before the Land and Water Conservation Fund will expire if not reauthorized by Congress. Champions in the House and Senate rallied on the steps of the U.S. Capitol with conservation leaders and outdoor recreation advocates and vowed to save America’s most important conservation and recreation program by launching a 100day #SaveLWCF campaign.

600 Number of companies and organizations that, in November 2016, signed onto a bipartisan letter of support for permanent reauthorization of LWCF. On April 20, 2016, the U.S. Senate passed an energy bill that included permanent reauthorization. Unfortunately, the 114th Congressional session ended before the bill could be approved by the House of Representatives.

1 Number of times that Congress has fully funded LWCF since its inception more than 50 years ago. Every other year, Congress has siphoned LWCF dollars to other uses.

9/ 3 0/ 2 0 1 8 The date when the LWCF will expire, unless it is reauthorized by Congress.

$60 billion The maintenance and project backlog that has resulted in local and national public lands and waters due to Congress’ chronic misappropriation of Land and Water Conservation Fund monies.

3 Number of bills currently in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate that address LWCF. Senate Bill 896, co-sponsored by Colorado Senator Michael Bennett, and its companion H.R. 502 would permanently reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund and commit $10 million annually to opening additional access to sportsmen and outdoorists.

>5 Minutes it takes to call, text, Tweet or email your member of Congress to tell him/her to permanently reauthorize and fully fund LWCF. Find and contact your member of Congress here: outdoorindustry.org/lwcf 22 9 Approximate number of characters in this proposed social media post: “Every year, LWCF can receive up to $900 million of offshore gas and drilling revenue to spend on conservation efforts; although, Congress has chronically underfunded it. #ICanSeeLWCF from [insert your local LWCF site], and I ask Congress to reauthorize and fully fund it.”

You can find more resources and information at outdoorindustry.org/lwcf J U LY 2 01 8 / E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M

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S T R A I G H T TA L K

07.1 8

Would anybody ever climb with me, or was I going to be some kind of weird pariah?

JAMIE LOGAN

One of the world’s greatest climbers talks about how she finally found peace as a woman.

by CHRIS WEIDNER

J

amie Logan is a pioneer of modern rock climbing in the U.S., having made the first free ascent of the Diamond on Colorado’s Longs Peak. Now 71 years old, Logan is forging a new kind of path, living as a woman. In recent years, she changed her name from Jim to Jamie and began wearing in public the clothes she has always felt most comfortable in. Logan shared her story on stage for the first time as part of the kickoff to the Rare Air Talks outdoor adventure speaker series at The Studio Boulder a conversation we put down in part here. You can listen to this full interview at DispatchRadio.com.

There are a couple of constants in your life. The first is that ever since you were little, you loved to climb just about anything. And the other is that even way back then as a little boy, you liked to wear women's clothing. Tell us a bit more about that.

Growing up in west Texas in the 1950s, I had a sense that I didn’t fit in and it was pretty socially uncomfortable. For many years of my life I was always literally sneaking around in the closet and always terribly afraid that I was going to get caught.

I always thought that if anybody ever found out, that would kind of be the end of my life. I remember reading a magazine article when I was 10 or 11 of a soldier in England who had transitioned to being a woman, and there was picture of her sitting there in the chair wearing a tweed skirt and a sweater. And I was like, “Wow.” But I didn’t really understand it.

So basically I lived my life. I was married, I had children, I was a general contractor and a carpenter. I was climbing an awful lot in the 1970s.

And eventually I went to architecture school and became an architect. About maybe 15 years ago, I told my wife a little bit. I told her I would wear women’s clothes sometimes and it sort of gradually progressed over a long period of time. A pivotal moment was when I was invited to be on the board of the American Alpine Club. I went up to Seattle to go to a board meeting. I hired a trans woman to help me get dressed, and we went to the mall and went shopping. We went to a restaurant at dinner, and it all seemed fine. And I was like, “Wow, I really like this.” And then I put on my coat and tie and went to the board meeting. So it was kind of like being in these two worlds.

I started realizing that I wanted to change my life.

I was making incremental decisions. I decided to grow my hair long. I decided to get rid of my beard.

I was really afraid of people like Chris [Weidner] in the climbing world. Would anybody ever climb with me, or was I going to be some kind of weird pariah?

And I also was a successful architect, and I thought, “Would anybody ever hire me again?” Every time I told more people, somehow it got better.

What are the dynamics like at work?

People on jobs are pretty good about calling me “she,” and then they screw up and they call me “he” and they get nervous. I don’t care. It took me a while to get a thick skin.

You told me one thing I thought was really interesting. You said that you’re not a woman but you’re also not a man anymore. You said that you are somewhere in between.

I think it’s really important for everybody to understand that there’s a pretty wide range of

GETTING BETTER JAMIE LOGAN AND CHRIS WEIDNER AT RARE AIR TALKS. photo by DANIEL BEDELL

gender stuff. It comes down to asking. When we look at someone, we have an instinctive need to gender people immediately. It’s okay to ask. It’s really easy to say, “What gender do you prefer? What pronoun do you prefer?”

Climbing, historically, has been blatantly misogynistic, whether it’s in online forum topics, route names, or, certainly, in everyday slang that climbers have used. How would you like to see climbing culture—and ultimately all culture— change to become more inclusive?

I've been to a couple of national LGBTQ climbing festivals. The people there feel much more comfortable with each other. If they send a route and they come down, they’re all excited and they want to kiss their boyfriend. They want that to be OK. And when there's 100 of them, it’s fine. So somehow it has to get to where it’s fine everywhere else. I really do feel optimistic that it’s changing.

Climbing is getting better, along with the rest of America. I never dreamed that it would come to me being, in a sense, kind of the token trans person.

Because there are very many people like me. But it seems okay, and it seems important. I think that the goal of this is for me to help all those kids that feel they don’t fit in. If they can read an article in a magazine about me and go, “Oh, I can do this,” that's a good thing.

—Chris Weidner is a journalist and freelance writer based in Boulder, Colorado and a climber of 30 years.

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LIFE-CHANGING COMFORT & ENDLESS OPPORTUNITY

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07.1 8

Li f e

ON ROAD

A

s a child of the 80s, the road trip means everything to me. Without it I would have never seen the Allman Brothers in Telluride in 1990 where they busted out with Blue Skies and literally blew the storms down the valley. I might never have moved to Colorado without a childhood on the road.

I may not have bought a Ford van in 2013, even as a grown man, to pursue this great American, nay, human, dream were it not for the road trip. And I wouldn’t be sitting in a State Park parking lot typing this now, wiping sweat from my brow and searching Pandora for just the right tune to keep me moving down the road. Things have changed, but road trips haven’t. Or have they?

We polled some of the greatest Coloradans we know to find out what it is that makes hitting the road each summer so special…

TIMMY O’NEILL Patagonia Climbing Ambassador HANDLE: Joy Merchants LLC, timmyoneill.com AGE IN ROAD TRIPS: 48. Been road tripping in Colorado and the Rockies for over two decades.

HOME BASE: My body, my breath, my Boulder P.O. Box ROAD TRIP RIG: I gave up a car three and a half years ago, so these days, I ride with whoever has an open seat, mind and calendar.

PROJECT YOU ARE WORKING ON FROM THE ROAD THIS SUMMER?: I am always trying to explore the Rocky Mountains and I have deep adventure roots in Colorado, including my intro to waterfall and alpine ice climbing, alpine trad climbing, alpine whitewater kayaking and alpine -own living in Estes Park and Telluride. I water those roots by exploring new

We talked to people who call wherever they want to pull up and park home—to learn how they do it, what they dream of and how you can join them. by AARON BIBLE

photo by ALY NICKLAS

THE

corners of the state and by rediscovering the same beautiful places with a new eye.

FAVORITE ROCKY MOUNTAIN ROAD TRIP: This is a multi-tool trip, so prepare the quiver to give ‘er when on the road.

Required: white water kayak, mountain bike, trad and sport climbing rack, dirtbag-dress for a spring road trip to the Telluride Mountain Film Festival.

Day 1: Hit up the Golden Whitewater Play Park, then sport climb in Clear Creek Canyon. Mountain bike in Eagle County. Day 2: Kayak the Shoshone section of the Colorado River (with an additional stop at the Glenwood Springs Whitewater Play Park). Mountain bike in Fruita. Trad and sport climb in Unaweep Canyon. Day 3: Paddle the Montrose Whitewater Play Park, trad climb the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, mountain bike Ridgway. Days 4, 5 and 6: Ignite your brain at the Mountain Film Festival in Telluride, while at the same time igniting your body: Try Chuck Korger’s mega classic via ferrata, trad climb at Cracked Canyon and Ophir Wall and mountain bike in the Telluride area with a special bonus white kayak session on the Stoner Stampede of the Dolores River.

It takes a unique adventure appetite to participate in a daily dirtbag triathlon, so some days just hit only two or even one activities and supplement the day with reading books, writing gratitude notes—or napping.

ULTIMATE SLACKER YOU WON'T FIND MANY SPIRITS WHO RUN MORE FREE AND DRINK UP EVERY SWEET DROP OF LIFE THAN CLIMBER, PADDLER, ADVENTURER AND MUSICIAN TIMMY O'NEILL, WHO TRAVELS THE PLANET SPREADING STOKE AND SMILES.

t i m my o n e i l l

photo by EVAN DICE

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BEST ROAD TRIP OF YOUR LIFE: I sailed the Baltic Sea on a 60-foot boat with my band (I played drums).

We would stop at all the major ports, many of them capital cities, and play music on the deck of the boat as part of a traveling exchange of music and culture and to promote conservation and environmental solutions. I can see/feel it now: Oslo, Stockholm, Helsinki, St. Petersburg, Tallinn, Riga, Klaipeda, Kaliningrad, Gdansk, Rostock, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Dunkirk, London. I am currently taking applications for a repeat—let's go.

ROAD TRIP TIPS: Since I am from Philly, I like to quote the city's most sage son, Benjamin Franklin: “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” Make a plan, pack the rig appropriately and, of course, be flexible when the plan changes. Pay attention to your intuition, the unexpected turns, twists and opportunities. Your gut tends to inform you like a True North magnet. Check ’em out and cross ’em off, but if you try just as hard to simply be in the bucket, then there is no need to keep a list.

LEE HOFFMAN Family Man, Extreme Tinkerer HANDLE: Altitude Industries, altitude-industries.com AGE IN ROAD TRIPS: Been road tripping in Colorado since college, so 20-plus years now.

HOME BASE: Conifer, CO ROAD TRIP RIG: Started with a 2-door Jeep TJ 2000, now a 2009 Jeep Rubicon, 6-inch lift, 37-inch tires. Currently on my third iteration of my overland camping trailer, which holds my custom kitchen setup and iKamper rooftop tent.

PROJECT YOU ARE WORKING ON FROM THE ROAD THIS SUMMER? Testting the gear that I now sell...you have to use the stuff to know how it works and functions in the real world. I only sell things that I believe in and that I know are quality products. My wife and two kids and I are going on a two-week road trip this summer to the Redwoods, Southern Oregon coast, Crater Lake, and we'll be using my 2017 Tacoma TRD Offroad truck with an iKamper Skycamp on a Rhino Rack Pioneer Platform bed rack and a prototype kitchen setup I am working on.

FAVORITE ROCKY MOUNTAIN ROAD TRIP: Conifer to Buena Vista, over Independence pass; Aspen to Carbondale, over McClure Pass; Marble and partway up Sheffield Pass, then back down and over Kebler Pass, camping in a huge old aspen forest. Hit Crested Butte for the Fourth of July; then back via Gunnison, Monarch Pass, Salida, BV, back to Conifer.

BEST ROAD TRIP OF YOUR LIFE: As a newly married coupl, my wife and I took the trip of a lifetime.

We left about two weeks after getting married in Vail in 2005 and spent three months in Thailand, Singapore, China, and Nepal at the start of the trip.

Then we bought a VW Bug in Santiago, Chile (it took two weeks of dealing with paperwork and my less than perfect Spanish). We drove over to Mendoza, Argentina, and down the Andes, hitting Bariloche, Patagonia, Chalten, Calafate, Torres del Paine, Cerro Torre and ending in Ushuaia. Then, we drove back up the coast to Buenos Aires, west to Mendoza. We ended the trip by returning to Santiago to sell the car. We camped the entire way in a two-person tent and lived out of one suitcase with a tiny backpacking stove. We survived on amazing wine and great steaks.

ROAD TRIP TIPS: Skip the bagged ice and freeze onegallon water jugs. Block ice lasts longer and when it melts you’ve got extra drinking water. Camping with kids is the best family activity you can do. You create quality time, bond and there’s no time to sit around staring at screens all day or complain about doing chores. Start the kids early and they grow up loving it—and knowing no different. They are adaptable

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l e e h o f fm a n photo courtesy LEE HOFFMAN

and excited about life on the road if you give them the chance. Lastly, most of what you bring camping is cooking or sleeping related.

MATT NORTH Young Buck, Entrepreneur HANDLE: Titan Vans, titanvans.com AGE IN ROAD TRIPS: 27. I have been in Colorado for six years.

HOME BASE: Boulder, Colorado ROAD TRIP RIG: A 2017, two-wheel-drive, 12-foot Mercedes Sprinter, complete with solar, a diesel furnace, a fridge, an induction stove, a 20-gallon water tank and queen bed.

PROJECT YOU ARE WORKING ON FROM THE ROAD THIS SUMMER?: A new highly modular, customizable van design capable of carrying up to eight people, and sleeping four. It can be stripped down to an empty cargo van in less than 30 minutes.

FAVORITE ROCKY MOUNTAIN ROAD TRIP: The backcountry discovery route from Steamboat to Durango that’s generally done on a motorcycle. You travel over a dozen mountain passes and you get to camp out in some of the most spectacular locations in the state.

BEST ROAD TRIP OF YOUR LIFE: The Western Loop: We traveled for three months through Utah, Nevada, California, Oregon, Washington, Canada, Wyoming and back to Colorado.

m a t t n o rt h FAMILY AFFAIR ROAD TRIPS HAVE THE POWER TO PULL KIDS OUT OF THE SCREEN ZONE AND INTO THE SCENE ALL AROUND THEM. MATT NORTH BUILDS CUSTOM RIGS AT TITAN VANS­— AND HE UNDERSTANDS HOW THE CLASSIC POP TOP CAN PROVIDE ALL THE SPACE A FAMILY NEEDS TO CREATE A HOME WHERE THERE'S A CAMPFIRE AND PLENTY OF SPACE TO EXPLORE. photo courtesy MATT NORTH

ROAD TRIP TIPS: Carry a water key, a small square key used on commercial water spigots. It’s hard to find water fill-ups for vans and RVs, so having the key allows you to get water from more sources. A gym membership to a large national chain can be really helpful to gain access to showers.

UPGRADE YOUR RIG GOT A VAN YOU NEED BUILT OUT TO BE TRULY ROADWORTHY THIS SUMMER? CHECK OUT OUR VANLIFE-PROVEN PICKS TO ELEVATE YOUR RIDE.

e m i l y h a rt KEEPING IT OPEN A PAINTER AND A TEACHER, EMILY HART FINDS INSPIRATION

BY LIVING ON THE ROAD WHILE SHE VISITS NATIONAL PARKS IN THE U.S. AND CANADA. SHE THINKS IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE A PLAN WHEN YOU SET OFF ON A BIG JOURNEY, BUT ALSO KEY TO KEEP IT LOOSE SO THAT YOU TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE POSSIBILITIES THE ROAD TOSSES OUT TO YOU.

DREAM BIG LEE HOFFMAN AND HIS WIFE TOOK THE ULTIMATE ROAD TRIP AFTER THEY GOT MARRIED IN 2015, PURCHASING A VW BUG AND TOURING SOUTH AMERICA—FROM THE WINDSWEPT WILDS OF PATAGONIA TO THE WINE COUNTRY OF MENDOZA, ARGENTINA. THEY CONTINUE TO FIND PLEASURE IN A LIFE LIVED ON THE ROAD WITH THEIR KIDS NOW, TOO. photos courtesy EMILY HART (top), LEE HOFFMAN (top left)

TIMBR BASECAMP “We launched our rental side in March of 2017 so we are coming up on a year and a half of sales.

As a build shop, other than custom building our rentals, we have been building for clients since November 2017,” says founder Devon Svejcar. “Build-outs start with a consultation in order for us to get a sense of what they are looking to build-out. Are they mountain bikers, climbers, rafters, photographers? Will they be full-time van lifers or are they using the van for random adventures? This is where we get into the essentials, things like what type of van they have, what are they looking to add. Lastly, we like to find out what "luxuries" they want. This generally gets us to a point where we can start putting together some ideas for them so that we can provide component options, customizations, costs and timelines.” Timbr also provides rentals that include suggestions on camping, driving routes and sightseeing. or full trip organization (for a fee), including booking campsites, park passes, group event registration for things like zip-lining or rafting, putting together daily itineraries, and even grocery shopping to stock the van.

TIMBRBASECAMPS.COM

EMILY HART Instafamous HANDLE: emilyventures.com, @emilyventures AGE IN ROAD TRIPS: 32. Three years roadtripping.

HOME BASE: Denver, Colorado ROAD TRIP RIG: 2011 Nissan Rogue, 153,000 miles — converted bed with storage in the back.

PROJECT YOU ARE WORKING ON FROM THE ROAD THIS SUMMER? Visiting more National Parks! I’ve seen 36 in the U.S. and five in Canada solo so far!

FAVORITE ROCKY MOUNTAIN ROAD TRIP: The drive from Denver to Telluride, along 285, stop in Buena Vista or Salida, then over to 50 and Blue Mesa Reservoir with a detour to Black Canyon of the

Gunnison National Park. Highway 550 is incredible.

Drive down through Ridgway, detours over to Ouray and Silverton, then head back through Telluride. The views are jaw-dropping the entire trip.

BEST ROAD TRIP OF YOUR LIFE: Last summer, I spent a few weeks on the road driving through Montana and Glacier National Park, and on to British Columbia and Alberta for stops at five parks there (Banff, Jasper, Kootenay, Yoho and Waterton Lakes). Then I went back down through Yellowstone and Grand Teton (my favorite park so far). I camped in my car alone, hiked, explored and loved every second of it.

ROAD TRIP TIPS: Have a plan, but keep it loose. I always have places I want to go, but I give myself permission to stay longer or leave early if I’m not feeling it. The road is full of possibilities. If you are traveling alone, be sure to check in every day or so. I share my location with a couple people on my phone at all times. This gives everyone peace of mind. If you’re road tripping in the West, a cell phone booster is another practical piece of gear for peace of mind. I have an external antenna on my car that connects inside and boosts my signal when I’m driving in the great wide open.

TOURIG, GOLDEN, CO The only conversion experts displaying at Denver’s Outdoor Retailer trade show this past winter, Tourig has gained fame among the #VanLife crowd not just for their excellent design strategy and quality, Sprinter-specific builds, but for outfitting outdoor rigs such as the Obozmobile, the Zeal Optics Sprinter, the Yeti Cycles van, and other brand and rep rigs, not to mention dozens of custom jobs for customers along the Front Range and nationally. Founded in 2015, they moved from Nederland to Golden a couple of seasons ago so they could get more space and be closer to their customer base. “We offer purpose-built vehicles through a fullservice experience with a top-level facility and staff,” says co-founder and CEO Eric Miller. So when you’re done saving your pennies, lots and lots of pennies, go to mytourig.com and start exploring how this local company can elevate your life on the road.

MYTOURIG.COM

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a l y n i c k l as ALY NICKLAS Videographer HANDLE: alynicklas.com AGE IN ROAD TRIPS: 16 years in the Rockies HOME BASE: Portland, Oregon (former Boulderite) ROAD TRIP RIG: My current rig is a 2017 Toyota Rav4 PROJECT YOU ARE WORKING ON FROM THE ROAD THIS SUMMER?: I just returned from a two week trip through Idaho, Utah and Colorado shooting for a few projects. It’s still TBD what my next trip will be, but it’s likely not far off!

FAVORITE ROCKY MOUNTAIN ROAD TRIP: My favorite trip is a big loop that starts on the Front Range then heads down through Leadville. Camp out on Independence Pass, breeze through Aspen and then stop by Rifle for a few pitches before dropping south into the San Juans for days of exploring, climbing, running and mountain biking. I come back over Monarch (so I have to stop and ride the Monarch Crest Trail), and for added points I hit up Kenosha Pass on the way home for another long ride. This loop links some of my favorite Colorado hot spots all together, and I get to bring all my favorite toys— climbing, running, mountain biking gear make for a packed car and a really good time.

BEST ROAD TRIP OF YOUR LIFE: A couple of years ago, five friends and I headed out from Boulder on an overland journey down the Baja Peninsula. We didn’t have a set plan, and spent 10 days wandering in Mexico, starting on the sea of Cortez and coming back on the Pacific side.

ROAD TRIP TIPS: Pack snacks! I always make sure to load up a cooler filled with veggies and blueberries and other healthy things like hummus. Over the years, I’ve learned that I feel so much better when reaching my destination if I refrain from gas station food (though the occasional roadside burrito is good for the belly and soul!).

—Aaron H. Bible is a longtime contributing editor for Elevation Outdoors and part-time van dweller. Follow his adventures at 9,000 feet and all around the globe on Instagram at @ahbible.

WHEREEVER YOU MAY ROAM VIDEOGRAPHER ALY NICKLAS RELIES ON HER TRUSTY RAV4 FOR BIG COLORADO ROAD TRIPS THAT TAKE IN EVERYTHING FROM CAR CAMPING ON KENOSHA PASS TO RIDING THE MONARCH CREST TRAIL TO ROADSIDE BURRITOS. photo by ALY NICKLAS

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SURVIVAL TIPS

by Roxy Harbiter and Ben Dawson We've logged over 10 months living in a metal box on wheels -- what a life changer. People peek inside our van and we can see their brain waves going, “How do they do this?” The struggles of nights without dinner, sleeping on a layer of grime, and being eaten alive by bugs is never easy. But the rewards are high, the bug bites heal, and you're left with an alternative lifestyle curated for finding adventure on every turn. We aren't experts, but our hundreds of nights under the stars have offered some insight. Here are some tips for those just starting out on their #vanjourney.

Never underestimate a warm meal and a cold shower. Living in a van boils down to meeting your basic needs. If you’re looking for a campsite in the evening, pull over and make dinner before the sun sets. Don’t bother trying to find a level site, unpack in the dark, and then start dinner. Not doing so is a recipe for disaster and a bad dinner. Once you're fed, force yourself to use your solar shower. The feeling of your skin on sheets without sunscreen, sweat, and road dirt will get you a much better night’s sleep.

Stay organized. Stay minimal. Every object in a van is placed behind something else, nothing is easily retrieved. For that reason, everything should have at least two uses. Your mouth is a dishwasher, your clothes are a napkin, the ground is a desk, and

the dashboard is an underwear drying rack. On that note, a public sink can also be a shower. Have you heard the quote “every zoo is a petting zoo, if you’re brave enough”?

Appreciate brushing your teeth without a mirror.

Life on the road has forced us to be more forgiving of ourselves and everyone we meet along the way. When you strip yourself of a daily routine and stare at vast landscapes instead of tired eyes in the mirror, you can float through the day with a sense of lightness. Revel in that lightness, because each day will also present seemingly insurmountable challenges.

Allow extra time. Everything takes longer than you think it will. Five-hour drive? Assume seven. Quick grocery run? Find yourself wandering around looking at decorated cakes. Every task needs wiggle room, especially if it involves meeting someone from the real world; their cars are reliable, showers easily found, and phones charged every night.

There will be bugs. Spiders fall out of the sky. This actually happens. There are bugs everywhere, and if you live in a van, they are on you right now. The photos of vans with the doors splayed open in the evening, recessed light emanating from their hardwood interior— those aren't real. Make bug nets, use them, and say goodbye to the glamour. While you're trapped behind those bug nets, don't forget to tick check every warm body in the vehicle. Humans, dogs, bunnies if that's your thing—check em' all!

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

DRINK IT IN LOOKING FOR A WAY TO ENJOY THE BEST OF COLORADO’S BEST LIBATIONS AND THE BIG PLAYGROUND OF DURANGO AND THE SAN JUANS? PICK UP A PASSPORT FOR THE CRAFTED BEVERAGES OF SOUTHWEST COLORADO CAMPAIGN AND HEAD OUT ON AN ODYSSEY THAT WILL SUPPORT THE LOCALS AND TOP OFF YOUR SUMMER. Now there’s another reason to visit Durango besides the region’s world-class mountain biking, scenery and other summer attractions: There’s a fun new way to sample the area’s award-winning craft suds, spirits, sodas, coffee and more.

This summer, Visit Durango is uncorking a special marketing campaign called Crafted Beverages of Southwest Colorado, in order to promote the region’s nearly 40 independent breweries, wineries, cideries, distilleries and non-alcoholic craft beverage producers. It’s a compelling reason to take the ultimate road trip along the San Juan Skyway through Colorado craft country—spanning La Plata, Ouray, Montezuma and Archuleta counties—sipping craft beer, spirits and more while exploring some of the best outdoor, cultural and historic destinations in the state.

You’ll find the area’s fermented concoction creators scattered throughout the picturesque San Juan Mountains, tucked away in such remote mountain towns as Durango, Silverton, Ouray, Ridgway, Cortez and Pagosa Springs. And they’re all connected by iconic scenic byways and trail systems offering endless recreational opportunities en route, from soaking in hot springs and biking and hiking pristine trails to visiting national historic districts and ancient cliff dwellings.

“It ties the entire southwest region of Colorado together by promoting the area’s independent craft beverage producers,” says Visit Durango’s Beth Lueck, adding the campaign is not just about alcholic beverages—it also promotes craft coffee roasters and even kombucha makers. “There’s a bevy of beverage types across the entire region, all influenced by the area’s dynamic landscape.”

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HOW IT WORKS Pick up free Tasting Passports at any regional Welcome Center, and get them stamped at participating businesses. Collect six stamps and then turn it into the Durango Welcome Center for a prize and a chance for the Grand Prize: a return trip in 2019! A digital Passport can also be downloaded, allowing you to check in via GPS. DURANGO.ORG/CRAFTED-BEVERAGES

5 TAKE FIVE A GOOD BEVERAGE IS BEST ENJOYED AFTER A GOOD ADVENTURE. BE SURE TO TAKE THE TIME TO GET OUT AND EXPLORE THE OUTDOOR WONDERS OF THE SAN JUANS ON YOUR CRAFTED BEVERAGE CRUISE.

1 DURANGO: Explore 300 miles of hiking and biking trails.

Nosh at100 award-winning restaurants. Splash into multiple watersport options, including a whitewater park on the Animas River for SUPping, rafting and kayaking, as well as fly-fishing. Don’t miss Vallecito Reservoir and Lake Nighthorse.

2 SILVERTON, OURAY, RIDGWAY: Tour Silverton’s Old Hundred Gold Mine. Explore the town, which is a National Historic Landmark. Cruise the Million Dollar Highway (one of the most scenic drives in America, see below). Soak in sulfur-free hot springs in Ouray.

Hike to the Ouray Box Canyon waterfall and park.

THE MILLION DOLLAR HIGHWAY There’s no better road to follow on your Crafted Beverages of Southwest Colorado tour than the famed Million Dollar Highway, one of the most scenic mountain drives in North America. This 25-mile stretch of the San Juan Skyway (Highway 550 North) traverses sheer mountain cliffs between Ouray and Silverton, before continuing south over Molas Pass to Purgatory and Durango. En route heading south, you’ll climb out of Ouray and drive over Red Mountain Pass and then Coal Bank Pass, before descending into Silverton and the Weminuche Wilderness Area, the largest wilderness in Colorado at 499,771 acres. Built in the 1920s, the road winds through the iron-colored Red Mountains and along the Uncompahgre Gorge, through tunnels and past cascading waterfalls and across a whopping 70 named avalanche paths. Ask a local why it’s called the “Million Dollar Highway” and you’ll get one of four answers: One, that it cost $1 million to build. Two, the road’s fill dirt contains $1 million dollars in gold ore.

Three, the views are worth a million bucks. Four, once a visitor has survived the precipitous drive, you couldn’t pay them a million dollars to drive back over it. We will leave it up to you to determine the truth.

3 TELLURIDE: Ride the free gondola from Telluride to Mountain Village.

Hike to Bridal Veil Falls, the state’s tallest free-falling waterfall. Explore Bear Creek from the heart of downtown. Take a guided traverse on the adrenalinepumping Via Ferrata. Spin into world-class, liftserved downhill mountain biking.

4 DOLORES, CORTEZ, MANCOS: Explore the World Heritage sites of Mesa Verde National Park, Aztec Ruins and Chaco Canyon.

Suss out Sand Canyon’s slickrock biking and hiking trails that take in archaeological sites and ruins.

Mountain bike the fun and flowy local-built trails of Phil’s World.

5 BAYFIELD, IGNACIO, PAGOSA SPRINGS: Soak in Pagosa Hot Springs, the deepest hot springs aquifer in the world. Raft or fish the world-class San Juan River.

Tour Chimney Rock National Monument, a celestial observatory for the Ancestral Puebloans.

PLANNING TIPS Visit durango.org/craftedbeverages to learn about the producers you wish to visit beforehand (most serve food and offer tours and tastings).

Make the journey an adventure, visiting the area’s numerous attractions; leave time for sightseeing, hiking, shopping and more along the way.

Weather can change quickly; be prepared and build extra time into your schedule.

Plan a few days to acclimate to the altitude, get plenty of rest, drink lots of water, and resist overdoing activities. Drink alcohol responsibly and know your limits.

And never drink and drive; choose a designated driver.

SHOW SUPPORT Wildfires have hit Durango and the San Juan National Forest hard this summer.

But that is no reason to stay away. In fact, it’s all the more reason to visit. More than ever, this core, welcoming town needs the support of Coloradans and other visitors.

The Crafted Beverages of Southwest Colorado Passport is the perfect way to pump some much-needed revenue and love back into the local Durango economy. You will be welcomed with open arms and (cold beverages).

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A DVO C AC Y

07.1 8

THE GROUND GAME For nearly 30 years, The Conservation Alliance has been proactively preserving open space and wild places. In the last year, the nonprofit funded by concerned companies started to play defense and began training people outside the organization so that they, too, can speak up for public lands.

by ELIZABETH MILLER

O

n an evening in May, roughly 40 people clustered into the Deschutes Brewing pub in Bend, Oregon, for a crash course in public lands. Employees sat down with members of the public as Kirsten Blackburn, The Conservation Alliance’s advocacy program manager, powered through a series of slides and videos. After xplaining the mission of her non-profit to fund grassroots conservation organizations via membership dues from brands in the outdoor industry and beyond, she also broke down the basics of the nation’s federal public lands system: Four main agencies steward a combined 640

million acres and several laws guide their management. One designation, such as a wilderness area, differs from another, such a national forest, both in who manages the land and what rules they have to follow in doing so. After detailing these distinctions, Blackburn passed out a pocket-size checklist for making a difference, including steps like calling and meeting with legislators, writing op-eds, and Tweeting and posting information to boost the grassroots base.

“We try to localize these big wonky laws and show that they’re super important,” Blackburn says of bringing the presentation to her Portland-based organization’s backyard. “They’re

actually mandates that allow us, the public, to play a part in the process.”

Her work is part of a new outreach arm as The Conservation Alliance pivots to a place it never thought it would be, running defensive operations for the first time in a nearly 30-year history. If it works, the effort could arm the outdoor industry with a better informed and ready-for-action groundcrew that knows how to make political ears hear its voice.

“The point we’re trying to make every step of the way is that these are public lands, which doesn’t just mean you get to go enjoy them,” says John Sterling, The Conservation Alliance’s executive director. “It also means you

WORTH EMAILING FOR THE PUBLIC MUST SPEAK UP FOR ITS LAND.. photo courtesy THE CONSERVATION ALLIANCE

have a responsibility to engage in the efforts to say how they’re managed.”

B

ack in 1989, the heads of The North Face, REI, Patagonia and Kelty formed The Conservation Alliance in order to give back to wild places. Each brand donated $10,000, which they sent to the non-profit Friends of the Payette. In the years since, membership has swelled to over 200 brands and businesses who have

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contributed $20 million total, supporting efforts to preserve 51 million acres of land, 3,100 river miles, and 13 climbing areas. For almost three decades, there was no need to second-guess those victories. That changed in November 2016. The election put Republicans in power who had run on a platform that hung a bullseye on public lands. Some of the Alliance’s recent wins, like the national monument designations for Bears Ears and Browns Canyon, were suddenly reversed or endangered by a president bent on undermining the Antiquities Act which authorized protecting those landscapes.

“For years, we’ve gotten away with assuming people understand the public lands system, and that worked okay as long as we had some sort of backstop in government that would prevent the worst ideas out there from ever coming to fruition,” Sterling says.

“With Republican majorities in both houses of Congress, and Trump in the White House, we realized our worst nightmares could come true.”

To fight back, the organization deployed a couple of strategies.

While some political battles are won with voters at ballot boxes, others

are undertaken in courtrooms. That’s where the Public Lands Defense Fund, a new grantmaking arm of the alliance, has sent $75,000, where it’ll pay for EarthJustice lawyers challenging the president’s authority to downsize national monuments. There’s no telling the outcome of that litigation yet, Sterling says, but the options include a Supreme Court ruling that the Antiquities Act “is a one-way ratchet— that a president can designate but not undesignate and change. If that happens, that’s a good $75,000 investment.”

Ultimately, Sterling hopes the fund will see the end of its usefulness after four years of the Trump administration.

The long game comes into play with the presentations Blackburn has given 18 times as of early June at happy hours and over lunches. For people to feel prepared to speak up, they first have to know what’s at stake and who to talk to about it. The threats have motivated people to get involved in ways that could almost make a diehard conservationist grateful.

“I think we can thank the Trump administration for making public lands a dinner table topic,” Blackburn says.

“I think we can thank the Trump administration for making public lands a dinner table topic.”

—Kirsten Blackburn

Her program starts with breaking down basics, like what a national monument is and what law authorizes it. Confusion around these issues is widespread. The Deschutes Brewing event saw one mountain biker ready to gripe about national monuments barring him from riding on those trails, but that’s based on the misunderstanding that all monuments ban mountain bikes when only some do. This kind of confusion has gone frighteningly far up the ranks.

The Department of Interior’s report on the national monuments review included several factual errors on rules for monuments.

W

hile it’s not fun to be essentially fixing a flat tire rather than driving down the road, Sterling says, “In the long run, this challenge is going to be really good for our industry and for public lands in general, because had this not happened—this is looking at it glasshalf-full—we would not have had this moment of reflection where everyone said, ‘Whoa, our public lands are at risk.

We need to engage.’”

The hope is that the momentum lasts after the threats are gone, and that people will continue to advocate for how they hope to see federal land managers run nearby national forests and BLM lands (which are, by the way, overseen by different branches of the government, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department

of Interior, respectively). That wave reached Grayl, a Seattle-based company that produces water purifiers, a little over a year ago. Soon after company co-founder Travis Merrigan joined The Conservation Alliance, he was quickly recruited to host a happy hour. About 20 people attended, including employees, members of the public and a representative from the American Whitewater Association.

This fall, Grayl employees will spend a day volunteering to see how it all works on the ground, likely building trails. “It’s not directly related to this” happy hour, Merrigan says, “but I think it’s inspired by it and the idea that public lands are ours, damnit, let’s do more than send off some emails.”

Likewise, Deschutes Brewing joined The Conservation Alliance just last year, and Michael LaLonde, its president and CEO, now serves on the board. Over the spring, he hosted the happy hour in part to talk about what the alliance is and does, and why the brewery joined.

“All of our co-owners like to go out and enjoy the outdoors—we run the trails, kayak, fish—it’s just part of who we are as a company,” he says.

The same is true of their customers, so it made sense to get more of them involved. It just takes a little education, like the one he got in preparation for the Conservation Alliance’s annual lobbying day. Shortly thereafter, he headed to Washington, D.C., for a Brewers Association event and took some time

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to talk to legislators about protecting wild places in Oregon, like Sutton Mountain and the Painted Hills, the Owyhee Canyonlands and the CascadeSiskiyou National Monument.

Whether those spots see lasting protection hinges on whether the public feels urged to mention to elected officials that they matter—as playgrounds, as economic drivers for jobs and tourism, and, intrinsically, as landscapes the world is better for having. Most importantly, they need to vote as if these wild places matter.

About the future and politics, Sterling is less worried and more hopeful. “I really believe we’re going to come out the other end of this time in a pretty strong position with companies having been through the battle and they will remember these years as an exciting time,” he says. “I’ve been in the outdoor industry for 25 years, and I’ve never seen us galvanized around one issue the way we are now about public lands.”

Elevation Outdoors and Blue Ridge Outdoors magazines are members of The Conservation Alliance.

OLYMPIC AMBITION THE CONSERVATION ALLIANCE WANTS TO BREAK THE DISCUSSION ON PUBLIC LANDS OUT FROM POLICY WONKS AND LOBBYISTS AND EMPOWER EVERYDAY RECREATIONISTS. photo courtesy THE CONSERVATION ALLIANCE

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O U T D O O R I N D U S T RY

07.1 8

GRAND PLANS Colorado’s Grand Valley is reaping the benefits of embracing the full potential of the $887-billion outdoor recreation economy while trying to work with the boom-and-bust of extractive industries.

Here’s how local company Bonsai Designs is leading the way when it comes to shifting gears.

by SHAUNA FARNELL/OUTDOOR INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION

T

he Grand Valley—that is, Grand Junction, Fruita and Palisade, Colorado—has long been a beloved home to and a destination for outdoor lovers. However, it wasn’t until recently that local government and business have truly embraced those recreational riches. A whopping 74 percent of Mesa County is comprised of public lands and recreational use of those lands has been the top focus of local leaders over the past five years.

That effort is paying off. The Outdoor Recreation Coalition recently estimated that outdoor recreation brings in more than $300 million annually for Grand Valley’s economy and provides more than 2,000 local jobs.

“The most direct way people see that is through tourism,” says Outdoor Recreation Coalition Founder Sarah Walker Shrader, who also co-founded Bonsai Design, a Grand Junctionbased business that designs adventure courses all over the world.

The Shraders—Sarah and her husband, Thaddeus—moved to Grand Junction in 2004 and launched Bonsai Design a year later. After growing from a basement business to a flourishing international enterprise, the couple spent about three seconds considering other places they could

live and decided to “double down” on Grand Junction.

“We love the lifestyle. We love that our kids have direct access to public lands and wild spaces,” Shrader says.

“Also, we have the infrastructure to help businesses thrive. We manufacture all of our own equipment here.”

B

onsai Design spearheaded, and is one of the first companies to occupy, the forthcoming Los Colonias riverside business park in Grand Junction. Straddling the Colorado River, when it’s completed in 2019, it will offer direct access to paddling and swimming in the river, a park and a zipline. The park will invigorate the pitch the Grand Valley has made over the past five years to draw outdoor business. It’s working: Last month, bikerack brand Rocky Mounts announced it will move from Boulder to Los Colonias.

Further recreational investments include the Palisade Plunge, a 30-mile mountain bike trail that begins on the Grand Mesa and drops 6,300 feet into the town of Palisade.

The timeline for completion of the trail is a question mark, as it is still securing final funding, which recently included a $200,000 grant from the Department of Local Affairs.

“As a mountain biker, I think the Plunge would be huge,” says former Outdoor Industry

The Outdoor Recreation Coalition recently estimated that outdoor recreation brings in more than $300 million annually for Grand Valley’s economy and provides more than 2,000 local jobs.

Association State and Local Policy Manager Cailin O’Brien-Feeney, likening it to destination trails like Moab’s Whole Enchilada and Salida's Monarch Crest.

O’Brien Feeney adds that the Grand Valley’s effort to ramp up its economy is unique in that the outdoor community is working with and not against the area’s legacy money maker—the oil and gas trade. “Over time, oil and gas goes through ebbs and flows, and a local economy that is mostly based on that type of activity is at the industry’s whim,” says O’Brien Feeney “Outdoor recreation is more accepted as a financial resource on the Western Slope. It’s not a case of one thing taking the place of another.”

W

hen the oil and gas industry is down, a wave of palpable depression that washes over the Grand Valley according to Shrader. “Let’s face it, we all need oil and gas to survive,” she says. “When there is a bust in this community, it’s devastating.

That cyclical nature of the extraction industry is out of anyone’s control.”

Shrader has personally witnessed the oil and gas industry undergo that boom and bust cycle. During the busts, Bonsai Design employs numerous oil and gas industry professionals directly, and the company provides contracts for small businesses and individuals who had previously gleaned most of their work from oil and gas.

“We are a manufacturer looking for skilled workers with construction and design experience who don’t

BUILD IT AND THEY WILL ZIP BONSAI DESIGNED THIS ASPEN CHALLENGE COURSE AT HOIME IN THE GRAND VALLEY. photo courtesy BONSAI DESIGN

mind travel. There are a lot of welders, fabricators and engineering firms once used by oil and gas here. Now, we’re using them,” Shrader says. “I would say this community in general is making a transition to realizing we have an abundance of natural assets that we are now promoting. They weren’t thinking of it as much until facing hard times when commodity pricing falls.”

But the biggest key to Grand Junction’s success integrating outdoor recreation as an economic driver is the community’s cohesive spirit. “I want the extraction industry to do well,” Shrader says. “One of the great things about this community is we have a lot of collaboration. The oil and gas industry just wrote a letter of support for the Palisade Plunge. The more we work together, the more success we’ll have out in our community.”

A longer version of this story appears on Outdoor Industry Association’s website.

According to the first-of-its-kind Outdoor Recreation Economy Congressional District reports, Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District is home to at least 241 outdoor companies, and residents in the district spend $2.19 billion annually on outdoor recreation. Download the full district report or any of the state or national reports at outdoorindustry. org/advocacy.

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

DESTINATION ADVENTURES 2018 Summer is in full swing and it’s time to leave all the weariness of work life behind and seek out your authentic, adventerous self.

It’s road trip season! Not sure where to point the grill? We are here to help with a list of the best places to get outside and play.

DELTA COUNTY

Western Slope, Colorado

lta County DeFRESH N COLORADO M

Nestled on Colorado’s Western Slope, Delta County sits between the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park and Grand Mesa National Forest and boasts three national conservation areas (Gunnison Gorge, Dominguez, and Escalante) within its borders.

The famed Gunnison River flows through the county, and you can stalk fat brown and rainbow trout on gold-medal stretches of water here. Or head into the high country to seek solitude at blue alpine lakes and up on the peaks. (Daring souls can even try skydiving.) But the biggest highlight of a visit to Delta County just may be the chance to enjoy the largest natural and organic food production areas in the state of Colorado.

Throughout the county, restaurants serve farm-to-table delicacies alongside craft beverages from the 13 wineries, numerous breweries and distilleries located here.

DELTACOUNTYCOLORADO.COM | 970-874-2115 36

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BOULDER ADVENTURE LODGE

Boulder, Colorado

Built specifically for the adventure traveler, the Boulder Adventure Lodge (A-Lodge) is the perfect spot to rest your head after exploring Boulder, Colorado’s backcountry.

Located on the banks of the Fourmile Creek and tucked within the crags of Boulder Canyon, A-Lodge serves up all the serenity of the mountains, but it’s just a five-minute drive from downtown and Pearl Street. Boasting a newly renovated lodge and saloon, private rooms, kitchenettes, campsites, a hostel room and car camping, the A-Lodge makes it easy and affordable for adventurers to find digs in Boulder. And why not simply enjoy your time here, too? Sip a craft beer with local bluegrass pickers in the beer garden or relax in the outdoor pool. Bonus: Guests (and anyone in the area) will want to make sure to check out the Under the Stars Film Series on July 19 and August 23.

A-LODGE.COM | 303-444-0882

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

YMCA OF THE ROCKIES Estes Park Center

Long known for being one of the best spots for families to head for Colorado adventure, the YMCA of the Rockies will keep you busy.

Case in point—a brand-new 35-foot climbing wall located inside the center gives visitors the opportunity to strap in and “harness” their inner alpinist. Built to resemble a real rock face, the wall features cracks and ledges resembling natural holds—but the luxury of the indoor wall means that guests get the opportunity to feel like they're climbing outdoors even in the worst of weather conditions. With five top ropes, including two auto-belay systems, and plenty of holds, guests can choose from a variety of routes ranging in difficulty from beginner to advanced, making the new climbing wall perfect for an afternoon of family fun. Guests must be five years old to use the climbing wall, but a smaller bouldering wall is available for younger climbers. Kids are sure to have fun reaching for colorful holds in the shapes of trucks and animals that mark their successful completion of the route. It’s the perfect way for kids and their parents to experience the joys of the Rocky Mountains together.

YMCA OF THE ROCKIES

Snow Mountain Ranch Looking for the perfect mix of nature and fun?

Climb, slide, hop and zip through the Spruce Saddle Adventure Zone, the exciting playground that’s new this summer up at Snow Mountain Ranch.

Offering unique adventure activities, the place will bring a smile to the face of children of all ages. This playground is jam-packed with opportunities for confidence building and fun, including a pendulum swing (similar to a seesaw, but in swing form), a small zip line, a twisted log ladder, a bouldering wall, climbing structures and so much more. The third phase of Snow Mountain Ranch’s Family Fun Park, it expands the options for families who decide to head into the mountains to escape the summer heat.

The playground is in line with the whole philosophy here: It’s another way to connect many generations through adventure—that is when they are not busy otherwise exploring the numerous trails and pathways that crisscross Snow Mountain Ranch and the public lands that surround it, of course.

Winter Park makes for one big backyard..

GO OUTSIDE AND PLAY Don’t fret if you are missing the white stuff that makes Snow Mountain Ranch such a wonderful place in the winter. Every Monday and Friday in the summer, head over to the dog park to meet an amazing pack of huskies as part of the Hanging with the Huskies program. Everyone gets to play with the pups and learn about the craft of dog sledding. This is also one of only three spots in the U.S. with a summer tubing hill—you can ride the winter snow tubes down a 300-foot hill covered with a synthetic snow surface and get the same rush.

After you make it down, ride the magic carpet back to the top.

Play all you want on the bouldering wall and fun climbing structures in the Spruce Saddle Adventure Zone.

SNOWMOUNTAINRANCH.ORG | 888-613-9622

Zip lines give everyone the chance for a safe thrill.

GO OUTSIDE AND PLAY Book a lodge room or cabin to rest and relax after days spent exploring the magnificence of the Estes Park Valley. The Boone Family Mountain Center, a 10,125-square-foot facility with views of Rocky Mountain National Park provides a basecamp for nature-based and high-adventure activities. And the center offers extensive programs every single day. In addition to housing a hands-on education nature center, the Mountain Center serves as the staging and information area for the center’s extensive guided hiking program, guided fishing, mountain biking, archery and the fun new doubleperson zip line.

The Mountain Center zip line whisks you 370 feet through the sky alongisde ponderosa pines.

YMCAROCKIES.ORG | 888-613-9622 J U LY 2 01 8 / E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M

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COLORADO NATIVE BREWS S um m e r i s t h e s e a s o n w h e n be e r p a i rs p e rfe ct l y w i t h a dve nt ure out i n C o l o ra d o’s w i l d p l ac e s. Th i s s t a t e t a ke s p ri d e i n i t s c raf t be e r, a nd i t s cra ft b re w e rs re t urn t he l o v e b y s up p o rt i ng c l e an, he al t hy l i v i ng a nd co ns e rv a t i on. C ome g e t t o k no w t h e m b e t t e r.

B:10.5” T:10” S:9.125”

B:10.5” T:10” S:9.125”

PLAYS WELL PLAYS WELL WITH BOULDERS. WITH BOULDERS.

There’s a reason we put our beer in cans instead of bottles. Because when we can our There’s a reason we put our beer in cans instead of bottles. Because when we can our

beer, you canbeer, do you more with it. More hiking and biking. More climbing and camping. can do more with it. More hiking and biking. More climbing and camping.

Moreyou of anything you can of, thinkout of, out where our was brewed to be enjoyed: in nature.

More of anything can think where ourbeer beer was brewed to be enjoyed: in nature.

At Upslope, we can so you can.

At Upslope, we can so you can.

UPSLOPE BREWING

N T:13”

B:13.5”

S:11.75”

o beer typifies the rampant success of Colorado craft brewers better than Upslope Brewing Company. Since its founding almost ten years ago the company has had only one goal in mind: This is a beer created for one purpose, to be enjoyed by you and your crew outside in awesome settings. From backyard barbecues to backcountry adventures and everywhere in between, the location is up to you.

That’s why Upslope packages its beer exclusively in cans—because when your beer is ready to travel, there’s no limit to where you can take it. It may be brewed in Boulder, Colorado, but this beer should be enjoyed as far and as wide as you’re willing to go. What’s more, to celebrate the fact that nothing is better than sipping some beer after playing outdoors, Upslope is rolling out its Can Country campaign this summer to encourage their fans to pair tasty views with, you guessed it, those tasty brews. So grab a Mix Box (which always includes their variety 12-pack which contains their Citra Pale Ale, India Pale Ale, Craft Lager, Brown Ale, and a seasonal Limited Release) and get after it this summer, just be sure to share your experience with the folks at Upslope by tagging your adventure photos with #CanCountry.

UPSLOPEBREWING.COM

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Saved at

3-2-2018 9:46 AM

from

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#cancountry

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

BOULDER BEER CO

I

t’s hard to believe that the Boulder Beer Company is celebrating its thirty-ninth anniversary this year. As one of the first craft breweries in the nation, and the trailblazer in the state of Colorado, the company could sit back and rest on its laurels, but that has never been how Boulder Beer Company operates. No, being the pioneer that it has always been, the brewery is continuously committed to embracing new trends. The proof? Boulder Beer Company keeps offering its fans what they really want—innovative, exciting, fresh takes on beer.

Things will really get exciting this summer: Boulder Beer Company is introducing a new full-time offering called Due East. This tasty NewEngland-style IPA is a double dry-hopped beauty bursting with flavor that’s sure to make your lips smack with happiness. That’s because the brewers integrated three different fruity, juicy hop varieties in each can— hints of lemon, peach and pineapple cut through the subdued bitterness of this IPA. Then in August, the brewery plans to drop a limited-edition Helles Lager, Festbier, to help us all prepare properly for the seasonal easing of the summertime heat and a big oompah of fall frivolities.

Another exciting development at Boulder Beer Company is the opening of the brewery’s new small batch and development brewhouse, Boulder Beer on Walnut, which opened last summer in downtown Boulder at 1123 Walnut Street. For the first time in a long time, you will be able to sip their creations while watching master brewers work their magic in this fantastic location that will also serve a full menu of pub grub and offer over twenty beers on tap.

Finally, when you head into your local store to grab a sixer or halfrack of Boulder Beer this summer, you might be a bit confused for a moment. That’s because the brewery is rolling out all-new packaging with bright labels and a brand-new logo. Hey, everyone knows that entering a new decade is not easy, sometimes you feel the urge to refresh things a bit, just to let the kids know you are still here—and still winning. BOULDERBEER.COM

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

10 BARREL BREWING CO

T

10BARREL.COM/pubs/Denver

2620 WALNUT STREET DENVER, CO. 80205

here may be no better place in all of Denver to kick back with friends and colleagues and enjoy a beer than at the new 10 Barrel Brewing location in the heart of the RINO neighborhood at 26th and Walnut. First off, 10 Barrel’s 20-barrel brewing system (yes, we get the irony) gives their award-winning brewers the ability to really get creative each and everyday on the job. The suds magicians here will keep you coming back for more because they continuously churn out one-of-a-kind creations that are only available on site. Plus, the brewery offers a full lineup of 10 Barrel’s standard line of spectacular beers flowing from 24 taps. Need more reason to visit? Consider the view. This spectacular location offers you the chance to sit and sip on one of the best rooftop decks in the city, or you can sit inside watching the brewers delve into their craft. And don’t forget the pub food. The menu features diverse offerings including gorgonzola nachos, pimento cheese dip and fish tacos. Put it all together and you have the makings for one hell of a day, or night, at one of Colorado’s best breweries. 10BARREL.COM

MELVIN BREWING

O

ne of the hot new arrivals on the Colorado beer scene, Melvin Brewing has grabbed the attention of picky Centennial State beer lovers in a hurry. That instant popularity is most likely due to the fact that everything Melvin Brewing, which got its start in Jackson Wyoming, puts out is flavorful and fun to drink. Don’t believe us? The numbers don’t lie: Melvin Brewing’s IPA was the top selling India Pale Ale in the state last year. To build on that foundation, the rising star plans to do something really interesting this summer with the rollout of its newest creation, Your IPA. Utilizing the latest, greatest hop technology available, Melvin’s brewers infused this beer with 100-percent lupulin cryopowder to create a futuristic flavorful draught. Plus, Your IPA requires a less-expensive brewing process—and instead of just pocketing the money they saved, Melvin decided to donate it to RIP Medical Debt a non-profit that buys up defaulted medical debt that’s crushing ordinary people and retires it. Melvin will be donating $300,000 from the profits of Your IPA, which will help forgive $30 million in defaulted debt!

MELVINBREWING.COM

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

EPIC BREWING

W

ant to take your taste buds on a big adventure this summer?

We suggest you dive into the delectable lineup of beers that Epic Brewing offers. Whether you are firing up the grill in the backyard or running adrenaline-pumping whitewater rapids on one of Colorado’s many mountain rivers, Epic Brewing can serve up a beverage that perfectly fits the occasion. From hazy, Herculean IPAs to bright, tart sours, Epic’s wide spectrum of offerings have the ability to tittilate any palate and match your current mood. Plus, the beers coming out of this award-winning brewery are available in cans, meaning they’re easy to take with you out in the backcountry, on a picnic or on the tailgate.

Even better, this summer Epic Brewing has stepped up its commitment to conservation and teamed with outdoor industry companies Mountain Standard, MIIR, and Out There Colorado to make a difference in the wilds. Working together, the brewery and the brands will raise funds for Western Resource Advocates, a Boulder-based non profit dedicated to protecting the land, air and water of the West. During the Outdoor Retailer Show in Denver this summer, the partners will hold a big promo party on July 23 at the Epic Brewery, located at 3001 Walnut St. in Denver. While the Outdoor Retailer show is closed to the public, everyone is invited to this fundraising bash. There will be DJs pumping beats, special beers on tap and a bevy of raffles and prize giveaways taking place all day long in order to celebrate and raise all-important cash for wild places.

So reach for an Epic beer this summer when you are demobilizing from your latest wilderness epic or just relaxing after a long day at the grind. Each offers something different for suds-sipping aficionados and will help support efforts to keep the adventure playground of the West protected and positioned for the future.

EPICBREWING.COM

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YOU CAN’T DO THIS IN THE MOUNTAINS. Not that you’d want to. The rivers are too cold, too fast, and too full of giant rocks. But that’s just fine because some river adventures have nothing to do with being cold, wet, and in constant danger. Some river adventures happen at a mosey.

Just you, some friends, a cooler, and an unsinkable cattle tank.

It’s called tanking.

Invented in Western Nebraska.

You’re welcome.

to Western Nebraska

TankWestNebraska.com

HOME DELIVERY DON’T MISS A SINGLE ISSUE

1 YEAR 11 ISSUES

$21.99 https://bit.ly/2s8oJpQ

42

E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S / J U LY 2 01 8

50

BEST GEAR

TOUCH 2

07.1 8

NINA BEACH RAFIA BIG HOUSE 6 DELUXE

THE SEAN

VELA HD DOUBLE QUILT

DIRTY CHAI LATTE

SMALL BATCH BOURBON

THE PERFECT CAMP

These nine gear items will ensure you enjoy your home away from home when you pull up to that ideal campsite this summer.

by DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN

SLEEP B I G AG N E S B i g H o u s e 6 D e l u xe Here’s a car-camping mantra to live by: Always go big. Just because this summer-home of a tent says it’s for six people, there's no reason you should use it as a four-person luxury shelter. That gives you plenty of room to spread out, stay out of each other’s personal space—and stand up and stretch thanks to 78-inches of space above your head. $400; bigagnes.com

SNUGGLE T H E R M A R E S T Ve l a H D D o u b l e Q u i l t and NeoAir Camper Duo This insulated pad-and-quilt system just might keep you and your sig other out of couples’ therapy this summer. Made with 650-fill down that stays warm even when wet, the quilt proves far more comfortable than that all-too-often all-too-hot sleeping bag. The cushy pad actually combines two mattresses, giving

you lovebirds the ability to spoon up together or stretch out for a little personal space during the night. $280 (quilt), $300 (pad); thermarest.com

SIP W YO M I N G W H I S K E Y S m a l l B a t c h B o u r b o n The Cowboy State craft distillers keep impressing us with their flavorful hootch. The bourbon offers just the right buzz to inspire philosophical discussion around the campfire. $41; wyomingwhiskey.com

WAKE UP A L P I N E S TA R T D i r t y C h a i La t t e A blend of traditional chai spices, black tea and soy milk spiked with Colombian Arabica coffee, this classy instant provides just the kick you need to shake off the morning cobwebs and head out all charged up. Or toss it in your pack along with a backpacking camp stove for a little jolt on the trail. $9; alpinestartfoods.com

CHILL OUT OT T E R B OX Ve n t u r e 4 5 with All-terrain Wheels It’s no problem to lug that stocked cooler out of the back of your vehicle and onto a picnic table, but what about those times when you want to take those iced beverages to a site that’s a bit off the road? Otterbox’s solution is this adjustable chassis that fits all sizes of its bomber coolers (we like the 45-liter version for its versatility) and goes mobile with three-inch wide, 10-inch diameter wheels. $350 (cooler), $225 (wheels); otterbox.com

HONDO BASE CAMP CHAIR

VENTURE 45

TAKE A SEAT YETI Hondo Base Camp Chair It’s the usual Yeti story. You say “$300 for a chair?!” We say, “Just put your butt in it.” Discussion over. $300; yeti.com

STAY WARM DA KOTA G R I Z Z LY S e a n In these days of every moment is a potential Instagram post, you need to look good even when you are just accessing some atavistic memories by stoking a campfire. This blanket-weight, doublebrushed flannel hoody will garner a whole lot of likes while keeping you cozy. $88; dakotagrizzly.com

ACCESSORIZE C H AO S N i n a B e a c h R a f i a This packable UPF 40+ sun hat can withstand all the abuse of your kids and dog trampling on it in the back of the car. $38; chaoshats.omc

SEND THE BAT SIGNAL W I L D L I F E AC O U S T I C S E c h o M e t e r To u c h 2 When the sun sinks, the bats come out. All too often, you simply see them out of the corner of your eye. But download the Echo Meter Touch app and connect this device to your Android or iOS device, and you can find them and listen their ultrasonic echolocation calls. $179; echometertouch.com J U LY 2 01 8 / E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M

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FRIDAY, AUG. 3RD DOORS AT 7:30PM

WARREN STATION

WARREN STATION EVENTS: NEW BELGIUM SOUR SESSION

CENTER FOR THE ARTS

CORN HOLE CHAMPIONSHIP & FAT TIRE HANGOUT

22ND annual

keystone, CO

AUGUST 4-5, 2018 RIVER RUN VILLAGE AT KEYSTONE, COLORADO / 1PM-5PM

2

DAYS OF

LIVE MUSIC FEATURING:

MANDOLIN ORANGE, LIL SMOKIES, BRENT COBB, HEAD FOR THE HILLS, RAGGED UNION & MORE!

40 BREWERIES!

SAMPLE OVER

BUY YOUR TICKETS IN ADVANCE OR FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT KEYSTONEFESTIVALS.COM MAKE A WEEKEND OUT OF IT PLAN YOUR GETAWAY AT: WWW.KEYSTONERESORT.COM OR HEAD TO SUMMITCOVE.COM OR VACASA.COM FOR MORE LODGING!

PLEASE LEAVE YOUR PETS AT HOME, THEY GET ALL HOPPED UP OVER THE BEER!

DRUM CIRCLE MUSINGS

07.1 8

The Ecosexual is likely to have more miles on his Vibram Five Fingers than he does his Prius.

MIND THE ECOSEXUAL Sustainability is not a construct. It’s a mantra.

And this oh-so-familiar character will tune you in—unless he’s off at a post-Burn party.

by ADAM W. CHASE

N

ot to be confused with people who actually work to make a difference in the world, the Ecosexual is all about maintaing his sense of superiority. He's the love child of Wall Street and Haight Ashbury, equal parts patchouli and Audi. While his primary nesting grounds may be in Boulder, there is evidence he finds fertile habitat outside of The Bubble. It doesn’t take the most trained eye or skilled tracker to spot the Ecosexual, thanks to his distinctive

musk, oh-so-2017 man bun, Euro-chicmeets-dumpster-diver wardrobe and Lululemon tote bag.

The Ecosexual is mindful. He’ll surely tell you about his mindfulness. His monologues will be so infused with the word mindful that you’ll soon want to give him a piece of your mind. And don’t even get him started on composting.

The Ecosexual is very present.

Extremely present. Mindfully present in the moment. You’ll know of his presence because he doesn’t believe in using the petrochemicals of deodorant or wasting the water showers require. And should you park too close to his Sprinter, you’ll be all the more aware of his presence.

The Ecosexual is likely to have more miles on his Vibram Five Fingers (yes, he still wears those things) than he does his Prius (soon-to-be Tesla).

You can find him grazing Whole Foods, diligently reading ingredient labels or proselytizing to unsuspecting customers. Should you dare date one,

avoid going out for dinner; he’ll take forever to order his special-dietaryneeds meal—but at least your bone broth will be safe.

Forgive us if this is too much information, but should your date progress to the bedroom, he will likely want to save his chi but, fear not, he’s a willing “stroker” from studiously attending Orgasmic Meditation trainings (yes these are a thing...in Boulder) to assure you find bliss.

The Ecosexual will assure you he's in touch with his feminine self. At times he can be truly kind and care but, if you want to keep him in your life, be sure to recycle the organic dairy-free chia yogurt containers because failure to do so will kill the deal.

Global warming keeps the Ecosexual awake at night (as, you know, it should).

In the dark—so as not to use electricity or pollute the night sky—he’ll speak to you about his deep world-heavy depression in hushed tones, probably

MORE ENLIGHTENED THAN YOU! THE ECOSEXUAL IS THAT RARE BEAST WHO MANAGES TO ANNOY BOTH CONSERVATIVES—MOSTLY BY HIS SMELL—AND LIBERALS—MOSTLY

BY HIS PROPENSITY TO GRIPE ABOUT COMMERCIALISM VIA SOCIAL MEDIA HE ACCESSES ON HIS IPHONE X. DON'T JUDGE TOO QUICKLY, THOUGH. THERE MAY BE A TOUCH OF ECOSEXUAL IN YOU, TOO. photo by MARIE-DOMINIQUE VERDIER

stemming from the issues he's acquired despite a whole staff of therapists, life coaches, healers, guides, visionaries, etc. He strives to be edgy but is as much so as a butter knife and although the Ecosexual prides himself on his tolerance, he’s rather intolerant of gluten, soy, dairy and, mostly, Republicans. Hopefully he will be able to work through it all at his next sweat lodge, drum circle, chanting session and journaling course, where he’ll be sure to be mindfully present.

J U LY 2 01 8 / E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M

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ALPHA SETS

SAFE AND SECURE PIVOT-LOCKTM HANDLE LIGHTWEIGHT AND SPACE-SAVING STRONG AND DURABLE

Hard-anodized Alpha Pots combined with BPA-free DeltaLight dinnerware create compact nesting camp kitchen sets that bring performance and ease-of-use to your camp kitchen.

seatosummit.com

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E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S / J U LY 2 01 8

HEAR THIS

07.1 8

CO TO NJ— THE ROAD TRIP PLAYLIST Download a musical journey that will drive you from the peaks of Denver to the boardwalk of Asbury Park when you hit the road this summer.

by JIM APPIO

T

he Centennial State is chock full of East Coast transplants, so imagine, if you will, taking the leisurely 27-hour-or-so drive from the Mile High City to the rock-n-roll city-by-the-sea of Asbury Park, New Jersey. It's a drive worth considering, especially since Colorado mountain junkies are far more likely to head to those high peaks to the west rather than the flatlands—but there's subtle beauty here, and great music. The route tours the wide-open spaces of Oklahoma before it takes you to places infused with music—rural Arkansas, Nashville, Philly.

Or just head to the mountains and tune in to this heading-east, long-drive playlist that includes everything from soul to country to indie to straightup rock-n-roll. These songs should have you covered for some long stretches of empty highway no matter where you point the grill.

"Hey Mama"

Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats | Denver, CO Working with his band The Night Sweats, Denverbased Nathaniel Rateliff has traded the earlier, more folksy leanings of his solo work for a soulful, Motowninspired sound. “Hey Mama,” from the band’s “Tearing at the Seams” album exemplifies the way in which Ratleliff and his crew can get intensely personal while still making you want to crank up the volume.

"Get In My Car"

About It,” the title track from Ruby Boots’s sophomore LP, blends Nashville country with 1960s girl groups, complete with pealing bells, rolling drums and guitars that call to mind wide-open spaces.

"Judy French"

"Seventeen" Welles | Ozark, AR

Welles is the project of the 23-year-old, Arkansasborn Jesse Welles. There’s something Cobain-like in Welles's delivery. Written while he was living on an artist commune in Fayetteville, Arkansas, “Seventeen” swings between introspective acoustic verses and an explosive chorus before going out on a blistering guitar solo. You’ll floor it as the song swells, but remember to check your speed.

"Don't Talk About It"

Ruby Boots | Nashville, TN

Ruby Boots is the country music persona of Nashvillevia-Perth, Australia, artist Bex Chilcott. “Don't Talk

"Just Can't Get Enough" Sheer Mag | Philadelphia, PA

White Reaper | Louisville, KY

Broncho | Norman, OK

Ryan Lindsey, principal songwriter for Oklahoma indie rockers Broncho, has a knack for crafting some of the catchiest, most infectious songs you'll ever hear (go find 2014’s “Class Historian.” I'll wait.). “Get in My Car” is no exception. It manages to be simultaneously laidback and tense, and its chorus of “I like to go fast / I like to go far” makes it a perfect fit for this list.

some perhaps darker and heavier sounds than they have before, but like all of Beach House’s music, it draws you in and takes you out on a dreamlike ride.

Louisville’s White Reaper had the guts to call their most recent LP “ The World’s Best American Band.”

They deliver “Judy French” with enough arena-sized swagger and confidence to convince you, through sheer force of will, that they may be just that. At the very least, you’ll pound along on your steering wheel.

Sheer Mag bring a DIY/punk ethic to some pretty classic rock-n-roll sounds (think Kathleen Hanna meets Thin Lizzy). Tina Halladay’s soulful vocals and Kyle Seely's lead guitar on “Just Can't Get Enough,” from last year’s album “Need to Feel Your Love,” wouldn't seem out of place pumping out of the AM radio on your dad’s 1977 Dodge Dart.

"Contenders"

"The Latter"

Somewhere in the noisy dream pop of Virginia’s Eternal Summers simmer hints of the 1980s alternative music that characterized my own summer drives along the Jersey Shore. On “Contenders,” from the band’s album “Every Day It Feels Like I’m Dying...,” Nicole Yun’s vocals float above aggressive guitars that display the slightest of Southern accents.

"Dark Spring"

The Boss may have made Asbury Park famous, but the city has a thriving and varied local music scene that has grown way beyond the “Jersey Shore Sound.” Dentist are one of the Asbury acts who’ve been making some noise beyond the boardwalk bars where you can find live music almost every night of the week all year round.

On “The Latter,” from their forthcoming third LP, the band combine the surfy vibes of the beach with the jittery urgency of the city, just like their hometown.

The Baltimore duo of Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally released their latest LP, “7,” in May. Over six previous albums, Beach House have earned a reputation for creating lush and immersive soundscapes. “Dark Spring” finds them exploring

Jim Appio is the founder and editor of the New Jersey-based music website CoolDadMusic.com.

He's a husband and father of two who manages to attend a few hundred live music sets per year in addition to fulfilling his other responsibilities. You can reach him at info@cooldadmusic.com.

Eternal Summers | Roanoke, VA

Dentist | Asbury Park, NJ

Beach House | Baltimore, MD

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WET-WIPED AND WONDERFUL

T H E R OA D

07.1 8

DURING HER QUEST TO VISIT ALL 50 STATES, THE AUTHOR LEARNED THAT YOU CAN DO WITHOUT MOST THINGS. photo by GRETCHEN POWERS

memories that shaped me into a road tripper, but none of them quite gripped me like the Rand McNally Atlas of the United States. In it, I began to highlight my road trips in different color highlighters.

Through scribbled lines stretching from Florida to Illinois, I discovered that I had already seen more states than I hadn’t.

T

he most powerful moments of my great American road trip have been the stark extremes of solo travel and sharing experiences with others. There was the first night I ever tentcamped alone in 2011 at Lake Barkley State Park in Kentucky during a 33-day solo trip across 17 states that covered 6,657 miles. I ate just-addhot-water broccoli rice, stoked my first campfire, and spent the entire night with baited breath as a curious raccoon loudly rummaged around my site in the darkness. These days, I don’t think twice about sleeping outside alone. These days, I almost prefer it.

My claim of independence is immediately challenged by the joy of taking road trips with loved ones, however. I refuse to choose between the bliss of falling asleep in total silence by myself on Klondike Bluffs, and the ecstasy of waking up next to my partner, Brody, at a dewy trailhead in the Tetons.

The more time I spend on the road the more I incorporate it all. In the South, I learned to slow down, savoring the culture coming at me through corn nuggets, fried okra and collard greens. Life revolved around butter and bouldering. While staying in Asheville for three weeks, a record blizzard shut down the entire town and forced us to explore by foot, post-holing through the carless streets in search of sled-worthy hills. But even without snowstorms that cause entire-city collapse, the South demands you decelerate.

During the winter of 2013, I adopted a puppy while living in a cheaply retrofitted Sprinter van. My partner at the time and I drove seven hours from Chattanooga to suburban Mississippi and ended up at a stranger’s house, where we scooped up a wiggly sack of spotted fur and introduced her to the road life. We named her Amble, an unspoken homage to this leisurely speed at which we live. I taught Amble how to sit, stay, and shake while we traveled throughout the Southeast, and she returned the favor by teaching me how to hang my head out the window of a speeding car, to smell the earth as it rolled by. These days, she lives in Anchorage with my ex-boyfriend, and continues to adore a good road trip.

Waking up in the back of a car at a Flying-J truck stop may not be the glamorous scene you picture when daydreaming about road trips–but it’s how I often choose to spend my mornings...

THE GREAT AMERICAN ODYSSEY

In a quest to visit all 50 states before her 30th birthday, a woman discovers everything she didn’t know about the country—and a little bit about herself along the way.

by KATIE BOUÉ

I

awoke outside of Las Vegas, Nevada, to the sound of engines braking, and the smell of cheap breakfast burritos gusting across the asphalt from the open doors of gas-station convenience stores.

My windows were fogged from my heavy breath, and the heat from the rising sun turned my van into a four-wheeled oven set to broil. It was definitely time to hit the road again. Plus, I had another state line and the Mojave Desert to cross before reaching camp near San Diego.

Waking up in the back of your car at a Flying-J truck stop is hardly the glamorous scene you may picture when daydreaming about road trips–but that’s how I often choose to spend my mornings. I'm

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comfortable sandwiched between semi trucks at a random rest stop, or praying for anonymity while sleeping under the florescent lights of a Walmart parking lot. Adventure via vehicle is more grit than grace. Don’t be fooled by the photos: It’s not all twinkle lights and Pendleton picnics. It’s sitting in Interstate traffic jams, worrying about where you’ll sleep that night, and resorting to Plans B, C, D, and E when the unexpected happens. Road trips are about persistence.

I should know. I have turned my life into an ongoing road trip—with an overriding purpose. The plan is to have touched every state in the US before my 30th birthday on October 16, 2018. The rules are simple: My feet must touch the ground, and airport layovers don’t count.

A confession: I didn’t knowingly take up this quest to visit all the states until I was halfway through it. I took the first states for granted, hardly grateful that my parents whisked our family off on vacations to Alaska and Hawaii. That time my dad insisted that we drive across the country for two weeks while moving back to Miami from California?

It was a sweeping adventure ticking off many state firsts from New Mexico to Louisiana–and I complained the entire trip. Especially when he made us pull over in Arizona to take a picture at a street sign for Winslow Avenue. You know, a photographic tribute to that song by the Eagles.

My parents gifted me many experiences and

O

ut in the Western mountain states, I discovered wide, open spaces. I reveled in desert plains that stretched to the horizon, deep canyons barely body-wide, towering stacks of granite and pine.

Finally, I felt at home. A stretch between New Mexico and Utah guided me past Navajo, Zuni, Hopi, Apache and Ute ancient ground. The West is where I had an important revelation: I am traveling across indigenous land. Out West, I discovered my privilege.

The Pacific Northwest reminded me to always stop and delight in the little things, like banana

slugs and baby ferns. During a four-month solo trip in 2016, I spent a week commuting between Portland for work meetings and camp at the base of Mount Hood. Each morning, my bare feet would pad over pine needles while the low buzz of my electric toothbrush broke the forest silence and startled tiny songbirds. I would fold camp back into my borrowed van, pray my baby-wipe shower rendered me socially acceptable for meetings with outdoor executives, and eventually merge into traffic as I commuted back into the city. Each afternoon, I would drive 70 miles back to camp in the no-service zone.

The Northeast taught me about traffic. Ticking my remaining Northeast states felt like a pursuit of quantity over quality. Two nights in New Hampshire, a quick pit-stop to touch the coast of Maine, an hour in Rhode Island for donuts and tacos. And the backroads of West Virginia refreshed my map navigation through hilly stretches that rendered Google Maps obsolete.

A

s I approach my goal of visiting all 50 states before my 30th birthday, I find myself collecting homecomings and leaving horcruxes, tiny bits of my soul scattered each time I meet a new place that moves me. I have a propensity for falling in love— with places, people and plants. The connections you build on the road are instant, and everlasting. It’s been years since my last slice of pizza at Miguel’s in Kentucky, but I can still smell baked crust wafting

EXPERINCES, NOT THINGS LIFE ON THE ROAD GIVES YOU THE CHANCE TO LIVE LIKE THE LOCALS, WHETHER YOU ARE EXPLORING STILL WATERS OR SAMPLING SPICY FOOD. THE MEMORIES STICK. photos by KATIE BOUÉ (top), BRODY LEVEN (right)

through wet summer air after a long day of clipping bolts in Red River Gorge. I think of each of these places and memories as mine–but really, they aren’t.

They belong to each and every human who ambles down highways in pursuit of America.

Currently, I have eight states left: Nebraska, Minnesota, both Dakotas, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Conveniently, they all touch. I’m designing a loop to take me across them in one fell swoop. Brody is hunting for our a van to buy us, a new-to-us adventure mobile that will see me through the final chapter of my patriotic pursuit of meeting my country. My tattered, sticker-covered atlas yearns for those last inky lines of achievement.

Road trips are what you make them. I spent a year living out of a big yellow Sprinter van, summers in Honda Pilots and borrowed Nissan NV campers, weekends in rentals, a month crammed into the back of a hardtop Jeep with three dirty boys, 33 days sleeping in the hatchback of a Scion. To be able to see this land by road trip is a privilege, a sacred gift no matter what vessel you steer.

If you have the means, use it. Cherish it. Invite others to hop in the passenger seat and share it.

Road trips force you to disconnect from all the junk that otherwise fills your day-to-day life. The best free campsites are inevitably out of cell service, creating mandatory spaces for reminding yourself that the way your toes feel as you dig your feet into dirt and sand is immeasurably more important than replying to a work email. Modern connectivity is limited, so you refocus your connection on the present to what’s present. Time spent in these disconnected places makes us better humans–we all could use more nights out in the middle of nowhere.

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E LWAY V I L L E

07.1 8

Illustration by Kevin Howdeshell / THEBRAVEUNION.COM

REAL NATURE

Do you find it in your expensive new Sprinter van, rushing to every spot there is to visit off the open highway, or just by doing nothing at all?

by PETER KRAY

L

ast summer, my neighbors bought a new Mercedes Sprinter van. They parked it for days on end in their driveway, preparing it for wherever it is they like to go.

It shimmers like a dark submarine as I walk by with the dog in the morning, an escape capsule waiting for its passengers, animal companions and as much beer as possible before gearing off into the great unknown.

This summer, the owners started wearing plaid and bought mountain bikes to increase their range. When they recently embarked again for the open road, I asked them which Shangri-La they were seeking. “We are going ‘adventuring,’” they said.

For nearly three full days their house sat as still as a sanctuary, a quiet castle awaiting the erstwhile adventurers’ return. When they came back, they spent a day emptying and cleaning the Sprinter, then another two days removing, cleaning with a rag and replacing every single rock in the four decorative riverbeds in their front yard.

I kept watch from my office window. And I couldn’t get the image of a captive lion, happy to pace in place after a short run away from its cage, out of my brain.

HUMANS IN NATURE

I grew up camping across Colorado. My father taught us the fine art the same way he learned it from his parents in the Adirondacks of Upstate New York, and their parents before. All the earliest photos of Dad’s family are of cold camps and canvas tents, men with mustaches and rifles and makeshift poles holding dead deer.

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When they came back, they spent a day emptying and cleaning the Sprinter, then another two days removing, cleaning with a rag and replacing every single rock in the four decorative riverbeds in their front yard.

Dad was never happier than when he was outside with a pack on his back, hiking up some aspen-lined mountain trail. Me too. Although I have to admit, I have also learned to enjoy sleeping in hotels when the time is right.

My wife and I recently embarked on our own road trip (sans Sprinter) with our young dog. It was the first we’d taken in many years. We drove to Salida to see one of her brothers, and where I thought I might hike Mt. Princeton like my father, or fish the Arkansas, like her father liked to do. Instead, we listened to bluegrass and watched kayakers drift by the river. We drank wine and beer. The dog jumped from bed-tobed back at the hotel—like every kid ever does.

That Monday was Memorial Day and there were flags along Main Street in Leadville, and TV news crews and veterans in full dress uniform beside the memorial plaque at the road to Ski Cooper, a few miles above the historic 10th Mountain Division training grounds of Camp Hale. We kept driving, taking the lush curving road down to Minturn past fresh run-off filled ponds, beaming green hillsides and emerald vales.

At the I-70 Interchange we headed west for Aspen in heavy traffic, past endless acres of highway-fed sprawl. It wasn’t until we started up through Glenwood Canyon that Catherine caught her breath, and recalled picture-perfect memories from earlier years.

Past and present merged in the way the still, green water of the Colorado always seems to be flowing backwards and how the high, ancient sandstone rocks seem to float above the river. Once as young lovers one winter, we had bobbed in the steaming waters of The Glenwood Hot Springs Pool as snow swirled like confetti in the air.

MUCH ADO ABOUT DRIVING

We stayed at the Mountain Chalet across the street from the park and two blocks from the gondola, built in 1954. I love these iconic ski town hotels, like Alta’s Peruvian, Crystal Mountain’s Alpine Inn and the Alpenhof in Jackson Hole. I feel at home in the vibe, that connection to skiing, and the lack of over-priced drinks and lobby chandeliers.

Still, other than a couple afternoon trail runs up toward Independence Pass, all we really did was walk around town, have drinks at the Red Onion and watch the sunsets shimmer through the peaks, trees and rugby field goals. The whole town was perched on the edge of summer.

Back down in Lakewood we were introduced to a young dog we hope will join our family. He is the only boy in the last litter from the mother of the furry lady we have now. Then we were home. Our lab was excited to be back. She spun circles on the carpet, almost plowing through the screened back door.

In the yard that weekend she sniffed at wildfire smoke. We learned that the Ute Park Fire in New Mexico exploded so fast that you could see the smoke 50 miles north of Pueblo within 24 hours. The 416 Fire in Durango burned right down to the road.

On the road trip, we had commented on how early the peaks of the Collegiate Range were bare of snow.

How high water on the Colorado and the Arkansas was already gone. We pointed out every change we could remember, staring out the window. And it seemed strange to us now how we had spent a whole week relaxed by the idea of not doing anything at all.

—ELEVATION OUTDOORS EDITOR-AT-LARGE PETER KRAY IS THE AUTHOR OF THE GOD OF SKIING. THE BOOK HAS BEEN CALLED “THE GREATEST SKI NOVEL OF ALL TIME.” DON’T BELIEVE THE HYPE? YOU CAN BUY IT HERE: AMZN.TO/2LMZPVN

IT’S OKAY TO

Discover the beauty in what hasn’t changed in Colorado’s original playground.

VisitEstesPark.com

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PROVIDING ESSENTIAL GEAR TO THE ADVENTUROUS.

Heuberger Motors offers all models and trim levels to power your personal love of adventure. Courtesy delivery anywhere in Colorado at no charge.

Love. It’s what makes a Subaru, a Subaru.

2018 Crosstrek 2.0i Premium depicted. Visit us at www.BestBuySubaru.com for specific models and pricing or call 888.840.9024 today for your no hassle price. Heuberger Subaru is at 1080 Motor City Drive in Colorado Springs, Colorado

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